Random Hearts
by kawaiirabbit14
Summary: Things are heating up again in Yukino and Arima's relationship. A couple's journey together is threatened by the real world outside their own little planet of bliss and happiness. Enjoy! COMPLETE. R for last Chapter.
1. I need YouDon't let me lose control

Disclaimer; I do not own Kare kano! I wish I had been clever enough to come up with the story and the characters, but I'm not. Or maybe I am, I don't know!  
  
Random Hearts  
  
*hi! This is my Kare Kano fic! I hope you all like it! It Takes place when Arima and Miyazawa are 18 years old! Enjoy!*  
  
Chapter 1: I need you.Don't let me lose control  
  
Never before had he kissed her this passionately. His lips sunk into hers and his hands grasped around her shoulders, holding her tightly. Yukino's head swam as Arima worked his soft lips professionally, if kissing were a profession, leaving her breathless.  
  
*.It's been such a long time since I have been kissed this way.*  
  
In the 18 years of her life, Yukino had never felt so wanted, so beautiful. Arima kissed the corners or her mouth, and then her rosy cheeks. Yukino gasped as Arima pulled down the collar of the over-sized, clean gray t-shirt she was wearing to kiss her rounded shoulder. The t-shirt did not belong to her. It was the gray t-shirt Arima had given her to wear after her school uniform had become soaked from their intense snow-ball fight that after noon. White, fluffy, freezing clouds of snow had flown, and Yukino's cold, wet, skirt had stuck to her thighs, as Arima had seen through his snow-capped eyelids. Their hair and skin were still damp from the snow and they had snuggled up on the floor behind Arima's father's favorite chair in front of the fire. Red, orange, and yellow reflections of the crackling flames danced on the walls around the room and on the faces of the two people locked in each other's arms. Both of their bodies were wrapped in a large brown, woolen blanket. Yukino leaned against the back of the leather recliner chair as Arima pressed his warm body against hers.  
  
*..It's so warm.*  
  
Yukino was so very nervous when Arima invited her inside. She somehow knew nobody was home. When she had foolishly asked where his parents were, he simply had replied, "Out," and inched closer and closer to her, wrapping the blanket more tightly around them.  
  
She did not know what had brought on Arima's wave of sudden passion, but soon, they had been making out. Arima moved his lips up and down the gentle slope of her neck and lifted his hand to stroke her collarbone. Yukino reddened as his fingers then traced the smooth line of her jaw. She could feel his presence so strongly around her. He was every where, his lips and his hands. The passion and the want churned violently inside of her. His name resounded throughout her mind, his touch throughout her veins. She loved him so much, and could not understand how this person could suddenly whisk her away from all logic. Where she went with him was such a happy place, free of pain and negative thoughts. When she was away from him, she realized how far away their special place was from the real world. She realized how her brain suddenly drifted away when she was with him. She liked it, but wondered how something, how someone could make her feel so weak, so helpless when it came to controlling her emotions. She forgot about everything else when she was with him. Her heart was beating so strongly. She did not want to do anything stupid, anything that she might regret later. Her mind would have to be with her always. And already, at this moment, she was losing it little by little.  
  
Arima kissed her creamy chin and rubbed his hand against her short, damp, red hair, his fingers affectionately memorizing every beautiful strand. His lips returned to her long, beautifully soft neck, and she exhaled quietly.  
  
Arima kissed her lips and murmured a fervent, "I love you," running his fingers against her collarbone again. She could feel herself slipping away, like grains of white sand, right through his slender fingers. Yukino sighed and whispered a contented "I love you too," into his parted lips. The heat ran up to his cheeks upon hearing this phrase that he longed to hear every time he was with her, every time he was around her, and when he was tucked into his bed each night, wishing desperately that she was with him, allowing him to do things to her that would take them far away from his bedroom.  
  
He then remembered standing in the hallway at school, waiting for Yukino's tutoring lesson to end. It had been two weeks since Yukino had begun to tutor a new student in algebra. When the teacher asked Yukino if she would help this new-comer out, and Yukino had accepted, Arima had become a bit depressed and bit his lip so hard, it almost bled. He was only 200% aware that this new student was male, and a very attractive male at that. So he was determined to keep her safe from him, as this one had a bit of a reputation for being a playboy. And it had been more than enough proof when Arima peered through the classroom window after school and saw this idiot playing with Yukino's hair, running his long, dirty fingers between the beautiful red tendrils. He was whispering something in her ear, and Arima noticed that a blush had crept across her cheeks. Arima was going to make sure that Yukino forgot all about that guy.  
  
Arima slipped his hands onto her waist and lifted the edge of the gray shirt, touching her bare stomach. He slid his hands behind her and moved his hands up and down her back, massaging the smooth, white skin.  
  
Yukino sighed again. Despite their earlier snow war, his hands were surprisingly warm, and the heat soothed her soft skin. The hands felt so good rubbing at her back. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer, burying her face into his strong, wide shoulder. She inhaled the scent of clean cotton and secretly wished she could smell his skin, without the cotton shirt covering it. Her already pink face turned crimson at the thought. She already knew of the heated sensations that were coursing throughout her upper body, but could not dare to think about what was going on below her mid-section. She closed her eyes and her eyebrows lifted, knitting together. Arima's hands traveled to the front of her, and brushed against her chest. She let out a quiet, breathless moan, and was immediately embarrassed. Now why did she do that?  
  
Arima's passion rose as he heard the sound escape her lips. Did he do that to her? He gently held the tender, sensitive curve in his hand and massaged gingerly with his fingers.  
  
"Soichiro," Yukino gasped, lifted her head off of his shoulder, and pushed off of him with her hands. She was not about to let herself lose control! It was too much. Arima's heart lifted with the mention of his first name. His name sounded so beautiful whenever she uttered it. He listened closely as her breathing became shallow. She shivered, and wriggled away from him. She had to regain her composure!  
  
Arima lifted his head and stared at her.  
  
*Oh, no, please, please, don't look at me that way.*  
  
Yukino could feel herself surrendering as his brown eyes bored into hers. She knew she would melt if she stared back, and all sensibility would fly out the window. She didn't really want him to stop, and she knew that her eyes told him shyly to go on. Bashfully, she turned her head away from his, unable to hold the intensity of his gaze. Arima took advantage of the position of her neck and littered it with kisses. His hands continued where they left off.  
  
Suddenly, the sound of a key turning in the front door broke the moment. Arima quickly released his beauty and shifted his position next to her, sitting by her side. Arima's parents entered the house, their arms full of groceries. Arima, looking sheepish and slightly ashamed at what he and his girlfriend had been doing, stood up quickly to help his parents with the heavy bags. Yukino scrambled to her feet and bowed lightly to the Arimas. "Good afternoon," she said quietly. His mother's eyes widened as she noticed a red spot located under Yukino's jaw. A love mark? Did their Soichiro do that? "G-Good Afternoon, Miyazawa."  
  
"I-I'm afraid I must leave now," Yukino stammered, her eyes staying on the floor. "I-I have to wash the dishes."  
  
"Yes, you do that, dear," his father nodded. Arima blushed and waved good- bye. His father chuckled. Now why did their son look so embarrassed?  
  
"Yukino, what's that on your neck?" Her mother asked that evening at the dinner table. Yukino's father and two sisters, dropped their forks on the leafy salads on their plates and averted their eyes to Yukino's neck. This sounded urgent. Something strange was on Yukino's neck? Yukino blushed and clasped her hand over the side of her throat. She was hoping that nobody would notice the love mark Arima had accidentally placed below her jawline.  
  
"Uhm." Images of The dog popped into her mind. "Pero-pero bit me," she offered pitifully.  
  
"Really?" Her father stuffed lettuce into his mouth. "He's never been known to bite before, he was always such a sweet dog."  
  
Yukino gulped. "Well, I was a bit rough when I was playing with him earlier today." There was a bit of awkward silence as they munched away. Yukino's mom giggled.  
  
"Right, yes, you must have been too rough with him," she giggled again. Her father eyed his wife curiously.  
  
"What's so funny?" he asked through a mouthful of cherry tomatoes.  
  
"Nothing," his wife replied. She turned her face in Yukino's direction, looked at her knowingly and gave a wink. She looked back down at her plate to spear a cucumber with her fork. "So, how were things at Arima's house after school?" A blush spread across Yukino's nose and cheeks. Hot, she wanted to tell her mother. Very hot.  
  
Soichiro sat down on his bed and sighed. He was so embarrassed. And shocked. And ashamed. He still couldn't believe he had tried that. That was indecent of him! And completely inappropriate. He really didn't know what he had done if his parents hadn't walked in on them at that precise moment. Had he been planning.to go on? He shook hid head in confusion. He was almost sure, at one point, that the thought had crossed his mind. He crashed down onto his back, bouncing on his crisp, white sheets. He placed a hand behind his head and frowned as he remembered his father's nervous words a while after Yukino had left.  
  
~"I-I know you and Miyazawa have been together for a while, but I don't want you two to take things too far and get into any trouble." ~  
  
How had he known? Was it that obvious? Had they somehow given it away? Maybe they looked different? Was the sparkle of their innocence gone? They hadn't taken things very far, and after hearing his father's words, he was grateful for it. He didn't want to hurt Yukino. Maybe they should keep things slow for a while.  
  
Yukino stood in the shower. The heat was almost unbearable. She had turned on the hot water full-blast, and the steam filled the room up so completely that it was almost choking her. Her wet, soapy hair clung to her face and shoulders. The heat in the bathroom was such a contrast to the temperature outside. She was so hot right now, and it was so odd to think that snow was falling right outside the bathroom window. Yukino thought back to hers and Arima's snowball fight that afternoon, and to the events following. Her cheeks were already flushed from the warmth, but the color deepened from the lust that bubbled inside her. She lowered her head, allowing the streams of hot water from the showerhead to massage the back of her neck. She looked down at herself. Should she? Yukino clutched tentatively at her breast and squeezed lightly. She pressed her other hand to the steamy glass door of the tub and slowly fell to her knees, her hand leaving clear streaks of broken condensation following her fingers.  
  
*Oh, please, Soichiro.touch me again.*  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
So, what do you think? There's gonna be more to come! Please review! 


	2. Awkward Silence

Author's note: Yeeesh... couldn't even READ that last chapter! Writing fluff is not like me!! I had to skim it over, pretending it was someone ELSE's work! Sorry, I'm not a very emotional person, but I know that of course, with love comes a variety of intense emotions, so I'm gonna try to get over my embarrassment and do things right!  
  
Oh yeah, I don't own Kare Kano.  
  
Chapter 2: Awkward Silence  
  
Yukino opened her eyes. The morning had that strange silence that winter always told one's mind that there was snow outside. And sure enough, the white reflection of fresh powder on the ground shone through Yukino's window.  
  
Yukino sat up in bed, the wrinkled white sheets running off of her waist. She stretched her arms up above her head and yawned widely. It was so quiet. A perfect, peaceful morning. Yukino smiled, got out of bed, and ran into the kitchen.  
  
She grabbed a cold can of tomato juice out of the refrigerator, opened it, and gulped it down, a streak of red running from the corner of her mouth to her chin, contrasting with the whiteness of her smooth skin. She exhaled, ran back to her room, pulled on a pair of gym shorts and sneakers, and jogged out of the front door. She had been performing this routine for as long as she could remember, drinking her red juice and circling the block with a few sprints and jogs. With each step she pounded against the pavement, and each burst of air she inhaled through her nostrils, her mind became clearer and clearer. Her short red bob of hair bounced up and down, swishing through the winter air. Though the ground was covered with a light snow, it was one of their warmer winter days. Yukino looked around and wondered where most of the snow had gone. Today there was only enough to scrape up a few meatball-sized snowballs. Snowballs? Yukino thought back to the snow fight she and Arima had shared the day before. Her cheeks flushed with more than the heat her muscles and pumping heart were producing. There was so much snow that day, yet, all she felt was heat. She stared at her moving feet shyly. The powdered ground was sparkling in the season's sun. She decided to change the subject in her mind and concentrated on her running.  
  
"Roll your feet from heel to toe, heel to toe," she told herself. "Heel to toe, heel to toe," she breathed heavily.  
  
She soon slowed to a brisk walk and exhaled evenly through her lips. When she came back to her house, she ran up the steps, took her key out of her pocket, and entered. She power-walked to the bathroom, peeled off her sweaty shirt and shorts, turned the hot tap on in the bathtub, waited for the tub to fill, and tapped her chin. She wanted something special this morning. She grabbed a bottle of strawberry-scented bubble bath, unscrewed the top, and watched the pink liquid pour slowly into the water, producing a flurry of rose-tinted bubbles.  
  
Yukino closed her eyes and let the parfum of fresh strawberries fill her senses. She lifted a thin, shapely leg and eased it into the tub. Next came the other leg, and then her torso. With her hands latched onto both sides of the tub, she sighed and slid herself into the warm, rosy clouds. "Ahhhhh." she breathed.  
  
*This morning is so relaxing!* She thought blissfully. *I love days like this.So relaxed.*  
  
Yukino played with the bubbles for a while and almost forgot to scrub herself. She smoothed soap against her leg and rubbed her ankles, ridding herself of the useless dried skin. The feeling was so great! Yukino glanced up at the bar above the bathtub, where she usually hung her clean clothes after taking a bath or a shower.  
  
"Drat it!" She had forgotten to hang her newly washed clothes up for herself!  
  
Yukino quickly scrubbed the rest of her body, pulled the rubber plug out of the drain, and hastily stepped out of the tub.  
  
"Whoa!" She almost slipped. "That was a close one," she breathed.  
  
She ripped a blue terry cloth towel off of the metal bar, wrapped it around herself, secured it a few inches below her collarbone, and looked around before stepping out of the bathroom. She didn't know why she was so nervous. It was her house, after all. It was just that she usually dressed herself in the bathroom before venturing out to the rest of the house.  
  
"I'll just have to go to the linen closet, and pick out a t-shirt and pants or something," she murmured to herself.  
  
Her analytical mind went to work as she formed a floor plan in her head and imagined an arrow, representing herself, traveling from the bathroom to the linen closet in the hallway.  
  
"Besides, everyone in the house is still asleep," she reassured herself.  
  
She tiptoed out of the door, and slipping and sliding. "Darn it," she muttered. "This bubble bath stuff is slimy! Yuck."  
  
She made it halfway to her destination when the doorbell rang. Yukino stopped dead in her tracks. Or at least tried to; she slid a couple inches forward before halting. She squatted down and crossed her arms over her torso, securing herself, even though her blue towel was still tied at her collarbone.  
  
" Who could be coming here at this hour?" She whispered to herself.  
  
"I'll get it," she heard a voice call from inside the kitchen. What was her dad doing awake? And why did he choose this morning to wake up so early?!  
  
She heard the doorknob turn and her dad greeted...Arima!? "Why hello there, Arima!" Her dad chirped pleasantly.  
  
"Hello Mr. Miyazawa," Arima returned politely. "Is Yukino awake?"  
  
Mr. Miyazawa tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm.I believe she is still on her morning jog. Would you like to come and sit down and wait for her?"  
  
Yukino closed her eyes tightly and shook her head violently, praying to God that Soichiro would refuse.  
  
"Yes, I would. Thank you, Mr. Miyazawa."  
  
A million curses ran through Yukino's mind! *I'll just have to hurry up, grab my clothes, and run back to the bathroom. Then I'll be safe,* she thought desperately.  
  
"Would you like me to fix you something to drink?" Her dad asked Soichiro. Soichiro waved his hand politely.  
  
"Oh, no Thank you, sir."  
  
Mr. Miyazawa smiled and marveled at the boy. His son-in-law was so polite! Oop, there he went again, thinking too far ahead!  
  
"Nonsense, Arima! I'll fix you some tea! Is Earl Grey alright?"  
  
Before he could answer, Yukino's father had already disappeared. Arima sighed and fell back on the couch.  
  
*Now's my chance!* Yukino quckly stood upright, reached far over her head, and swiftly grabbed a random garment from the top shelf of the linen closet. As she lowered her hand, her left foot slipped out from under her and she fell flat on her back. She quckly tried to stand up but failed, fell back down on her back, and yelped when she slid all the way down the hall and into the living room, stopping directly under Arima's feet. He stared at her quizzically, his cheeks a bright red at viewing her in a tiny blue towel. Yukino groaned, sat up, and waved nervously.  
  
"H-hi" Arima clasped a hand over his eyes and handed Yukino a small paper bag.  
  
"H-here.You left your uniform at my house yesterday."  
  
Yukino's father strolled out of the kitchen with a tray of Earl Grey.  
  
"Ok, here you go, Arima.." He looked up from the tray to see his daughter on the floor, practically naked, at her boyfriend's feet. The tray fell to the floor, splattering Earl Grey all over the carpet.  
  
"Oh, my."  
  
******************************************************************  
  
Author's Note: Tah hahaha! So that was Chapter 2! What a cliché moment that was! LOL, bound to happen! Chapter 3 coming soon! Thank you Kaya1 for your kind, kind review! I really appreciate it! 


	3. HalfTruth Revealed?

Ok, now, on with the show! Annnnnnddd-I don't own Kare Kano! Hey! That rhymed!  
  
Chapter 3: Half-Truth Revealed?  
  
Yukino sat at her desk and combed the water out of her hair, fuming. Why hadn't Arima simply called before coming over? It was only common sense! She didn't understand him at all sometimes! In the background, her younger sisters, Tsuki and Kano, were holding their stomachs, howling with laughter. Yukino reddened with anger and annoyance. Her cheeks puffed outward increasingly as her sisters re-enacted what was undoubtedly her most embarrassing moment. Why did her entire family feel the need to rush into the living room when they heard the tray of tea crash to the floor? Why did they anxiously ask her father what was the matter, then turn wide- eyed to her wet, towel-wrapped body on the floor? Why, oh WHY did they have to gasp and burst into nervous giggles when they saw Arima sitting on the couch in front of her?! Why, why, why?! Laughter bubbled up from Kano's throat as Tsuki slapped both hands to the sides of her face and dropped her jaw in mock horror, imitating the look on Yukino's face a few minutes earlier. Kano also imitated her eldest sister's reaction and gave an overly dramatic stage gasp, plastered a moronic and confused look on her face, and gave a tinny high-pitched shriek. Yukino's cheeks had reached maximum capacity.  
  
"GET OUT OF HERE!" she screamed, little tears of anger forming at the corners of her eyes.  
  
Kano and Tsuki wiped the grins off of their faces, turned, and scurried through the doorway. Yukino fumed and struggled to put on her clothes, and sullenly made her way down the hall to the kitchen. She still needed to eat, after all. Maybe breakfast would make everything all better.  
  
Yukino flopped down at the table and placed a few pickles onto her plate.  
  
So," her mother began, calmly looking down at her plate, "What did Arima visit for? What was that he gave you?" Yukino waved her hands nervously in front of her face. "N-nothing, nothing!"  
  
Yukino leaned anxiously back into her seat as her parent eyed her  
closely. Yukino shifted her eyes from side to side, and gulped loudly.  
  
*What are they thinking?* she asked herself desperately.  
  
*Do they know something?* Yukino's mind began to scream.  
  
*No! They do know something, don't they? They know that Arima was  
really delivering my clothes, don't they? DON'T THEY!!???*  
  
Yukino's Mom gently took her chin in one hand and slowly turned  
Yukino's face to the side.  
Yukino sweat dropped. *What is she doing? Is this some sort of mind-  
reading device?*  
  
"Yukino, that mark Pero-pero the dog gave you never went away! How did  
you really get it?"  
  
Yukino winced. *O my goodness, do they know?*  
  
Yukino's father raised his eyebrows. "Were you in a fight at school?"  
  
"Oh, my!" her mother exclaimed. "Did you injure yourself? You've been  
so clumsy lately, since you've grown a bit taller!" She gasped, and  
tightened her grip on Yukino's face. "Maybe she ran into the badminton  
net at school again!"  
  
Her father held up his finger. "Or maybe she was whacked in the face  
with her tennis racket!"  
  
Her mother squeezed Yukino's face again. "Oh, that doubles partner of  
hers is so violent!"  
  
Yukino's parents clamored on and on and Yukino's chin felt about ready  
to jump off of her face with every phrase!  
  
Yukino wrenched her chin from her mother's grasp. "I'm okay. None of  
those things happened! I'm fine, honest." Yukino covered the spot on  
her neck with her hand. Kano leaned into the table and giggled  
deviously.  
  
"You know," she said in a voice just loud enough for the entire table  
to hear, "I don't think Yuki was bitten by Pero-pero or got into a  
fight with anyone at school."  
  
Yukino went rigid. *Don't Kano, please don't,* Yukino prayed.  
  
Kano narrowed her eyes nefariously, "You know what I think?"  
  
*Oh,please, please, don't.Kano.*  
  
"I think that she and Arima have been-"  
  
*No.please.!*  
  
"-Makin' out!"  
  
Yukino gasped and averted her gaze to her lap. She couldn't believe  
Kano said that! She knew how crazy and stupid their parents could get!  
Her father dropped his fork.  
  
"Whaaaaat?! 'Makin' out?'" He pressed his hands tightly over his ears.  
"Oh, no, I didn't really want to hear this!"  
  
Kano and Tsuki sat at the corner of the table, cackling and holding  
their sides. They were laughing so hard, it looked like their stomachs  
were about to fall out. Mrs. Miyazawa had a strange look in her eyes.  
She appeared to be slightly pleased.  
  
"Oh, my Yuuuukiiiinoooo! How cuuute!"  
  
Yukino grimaced. Why did Kano have to know everything?  
  
Yukino stomped to her room, slammed the door and leaned her back against it. Ahh..the sanctuary of her room. She frowned. Damn that Kano.always analyzing her like that. Her sister was too smart for her own good sometimes! Yukino crossed her arms across her chest and sighed. She was older.she and Arima had been dating for about three years now! Didn't her family expect these kinds of things to occur in a relationship? It was too strange.  
  
Yukino quickly strolled over to her bed and let herself freefall face down into the warm, soft comforter. Maybe she hadn't really matured over the past couple of years. At least, she didn't feel like it. Maybe she did, maybe she didn't. All she knew was that her family probably did not see her as mature. The last time she really felt a significant difference in her character were the early days in her relationship with Arima. Sure, she had grown into a taller, more intelligent young woman, but she didn't really feel any difference. Yukino sighed again and rolled over onto her back, her honey eyes staring at the blank, white ceiling. She needed something to keep her mind occupied. She sat up, her short, red hair swinging forward, reached for a pack of note cards on her desk, and skimmed through them. Although she was no longer the same vain and excruciatingly studious girl she made the mistake of being three years ago, focusing her mind on school always let her escape whatever problems she was having, at least temporarily. Some things never changed.  
  
***************************************************************** Author's Note: Thanx everyone for your kind reviews! Y'all are so nice! ^______^ Whew! Just hearing your stuff really encourages me to keep writing! So far you guys have reviewed me:  
  
Blue Dreamer2- yeah, I'm glad SOMEBODY gets me! LOL, just joshin' everyone. Thanks for the compliment! You should try to write a fluffy story sometime! Even though I'm a bit embarrassed, I've found it to be quite liberating also!  
  
Taidigimon- aww shucks, thanks a lot! Hey, this may be a dumb question, but.What does OOC stand for?? I'm just slow like that.  
  
Kaya1- You are too kind! And yes, I did write more! Hope you're enjoying it!  
  
Natachan-(o and ppl, Natachan is a friend of mine who was reading my story while on my account-so just so you kno---I DID NOT review my own story!! Just wanted to let you all kno!)  
  
Lady-sess -aww.thanks so much you are so nice! Yep, and I am indeed givin ya more!  
  
Please review! 


	4. You Are So Beautiful, And So Am I

Please review! Ok, people! Here comes another chapter! I don't own Kare Kano! Sorry! ^____^;;;;;;;  
  
Chapter 4: You Are So Beautiful, And So Am I  
  
The bed was littered with roses. The scented air clouded her mind. His strong arms gently laid her atop their bed of flowers. His lips, eyes and hands were all over her, caressing her, filling every pore of her being with lust and love. The weight was almost unbearable. She swam in a river of beautiful colors. The red roses, the black of his hair, the brown of his eyes, oh, and his skin..so much skin! All of it was beautiful, even she was beautiful. She was the most beautiful person in the world. No, on second thought, she felt it may have been a tie between the two of them. She was looking at the very height of beauty. She had reached the highest point above the clouds. He ran his long fingers into her hair, and swept her bangs into her eyes. They smiled. He raised his other hand and smoothed out her rosy bottom lip with the tip of his index finger. He brought his lips to her hear and murmured beautiful things.  
  
"I love you.so much." His mouth tickled her ear.  
  
She was in Heaven. She couldn't believe this was happening. She couldn't believe she was here, with him. The man with the calm, gentle voice, the whispering hair, the smooth style. He was so sweet and intelligent. He was hers. And she was about to be made his. She would have his beautiful mark on her forever. The few garments they had on were too thin and too little to serve as an adequate shield to ward off the heat they themselves were creating. Soon, they were free of the abominations; the THINGS that were keeping them from love and the fulfillment of their needs. His hips pressed against hers. She rolled her head back, her hair mingling with the loose rose petals on the cool bedspread. His hands were so smooth and gentle, his masculine form contrasted with her femininity, yet at the same time, fit together perfectly. She was so happy. She reached out for him, and she fell into his loving embrace. Their bodies melted into each other, their emotions mashed together, their breathing became synchronized. She was dizzy with love. Her heart leapt. She was ready to cry out. She buried her head into his shoulder to muffle the sound of his voice, calling out to him.  
  
"Soichiro..!"  
  
"Soichiro!"  
  
"Soichiro?"  
  
Yukino opened her eyes, and stared into her white pillowcase. Her face was buried into her pillow. She felt the blood rush to her face, and hot, angry tears came to her eyes. She tightened her hand into a ball, and punched pillow twice before rolling over onto her back. "It was all a dream!?" She said aloud to herself. Her breaths came sharp and fast. She couldn't believe this! It seemed so real!  
  
*Please, let me go back to sleep!* She pleaded with her subconscious. It was really a dream?  
  
*This is so horrible!*  
  
She groaned and rolled back onto her side. Her sheets were wrapped all around her legs and her waist. Sweaty tendrils of hair clung to her face. She was so warm! She struggled to sit up, and her hair fell forward in damp, slightly matted clumps. She scratched her head and stared at the pack of note cards on her desk and scoffed. In her attempt to forget her problems, she had studied way too hard and fell asleep! She swung her legs over the side of her bed and stood up. She dragged herself to the bathroom, turned on the hot water tap in the sink, lathered her face with a mild soap, and rinsed. When she was finished, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. "What a lazy day," she told her image. She squinted and leaned in to get a closer look at herself.  
  
*I'm so pale,* she thought dismally. *I look sick!* She frowned. *I didn't look this way in my dream!* She pinched at her cheeks, trying to put some color back into them. It wasn't working. Yukino rolled her eyes. If she was with Soichiro, her cheeks would be the darkest shade of pink. She sighed. He was all she thought about sometimes. She pursed her lips together in annoyance. She tapped her cheeks in a second attempt to turn them red. It wasn't working! She took both hands and clapped them hard against her face. "Ouch!" she yelped.  
  
*Hey, some color is forming!* she thought, a ray of hope breaking through the blackness. She clapped her face harder and frowned. Yukino squished her cheeks with her hands. "Oh! I'm so uglyyyyyyyyy!" She contorted her face with her fingers, moving her cheeks up and down, causing her lips to protrude.  
  
"Having fun?"  
  
Yukino quickly turned her (still squished) face toward the door. There, Kano was leaning against the side of the door, her arms crossed in front of her chest, and a smirk plastered on her face. Next to her, Tsuki was stifling a laugh. Behind the two of them, her parents were shaking their heads.  
  
"Yukino's getting weirder and weirder every day," her mother sighed.  
  
Yukino quickly released her face and pinned her arms down to her sides. She growled and tightened her fists. She took a deep breath.  
  
"Get OUTTA HERE!!" she shrieked. The house seemed to shake from the booming of her vocal cords. Her family took a step back.  
  
"Oh, my goodness!"  
  
"She's scary!"  
  
"Everybody run!"  
  
Yukino's family scampered hurriedly down the hallway toward the living room. Yukino stepped out of the bathroom, shaking her fist above her head.  
  
"And don't you come back, you bums!" Yukino glared in their direction and lowered her fist after a moment. She slumped down into a sitting position on the floor. She looked down into her lap and placed a hand to her forehead.  
  
"I'm so stupid."  
  
******************************************************************  
  
Author's note: And that's it for this chapter! Sorry that all my chapters are so short! Especially this one.it's just that I can't do anything more with this one. It takes me a while to think them up, you know? Plus I've got school and stuff, so.yeah. But don't worry! I'll try my best to keep 'em comin!  
  
Until chapter 5! I'm so excited! ^____^ 


	5. And It All Continues

HI everyone! Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews and everything! You are so great! Yay! Hooray! Ok..time for chapter 5! Have fun, everybody!  
  
I do NOT own Kare Kano!!  
  
Chapter 5: And It All Continues  
  
Yukino tucked a few strands of short, sandy hair behind an ear and glanced at her reflection in the full-length mirror in the bathroom. She bit her lip and speculated for a moment before sighing and flashing a smile at the pane of glass.  
  
"I look fine," she thought finally. Still, she smoothed a few wrinkles out of her skirt, grasped the handle of her book bag, and sauntered out the door. The fresh winter air whipped immediately at her cheeks and blew her hair around her face. Yukino hugged herself tightly and smiled as she took a huge breath of clean, freezing air.  
  
"This is going to be a great day at school!"  
  
Yukino's shoes clicked briskly across the tile floor of her classroom, and carried her figure to her seat right in front of the teacher's desk and near the windows. There, her group of friends turned and waved at her. They had been waiting for her, which had been a custom of theirs that had developed over the past couple of years. Maho smiled, her tall and gracious figure towering in contrast over Tsubasa's short and childish one.  
  
"Hiiiiiiii, Yukino!" Tsubasa wrapped her arms around Yukino's waist and buried her face into her uniform shirt. Yukino laughed and patted Tsubasa's flaxen head.  
  
"Hello there, Tsubasa. How are you?"  
  
"Great!"  
  
Yukino didn't have to crane her neck so far downward to smile into Tsubasa's eyes anymore. She had grown a few inches taller last summer. Yukino turned her head toward the window where Rika and Aya stood chattering away about something. They both stole a couple breaths and acknowledged Yukino's presence with a short wave done in unison.  
  
*Well, that was creepy,* Yukino thought to herself, sweat dropping. *They're like robots!*  
  
She giggled to herself at the thought. Rika and Aya would look pretty funny as robots! She smiled inwardly. She loved her friends. They always made her feel better; they lifted her spirits instantly, which usually resulted in a very hyper Yukino when she was feeling high-spirited in the first place.  
  
"Yo, Yukino!" Hideaki Asapin had reached around her waist and hoisted her high into the air. "How are you feeling this morning?"  
  
Yukino gulped down some air before replying. "I would be feeling fine if you weren't impairing my lung expansion, Hide-BAKA!"  
  
Hideaki pretended to sound disappointed. "That's mean, Yuki-chan!"  
  
Yukino clawed at his hands. "Put me down! Don't be so rowdy all the time!"  
  
Hideaki laughed. "Not until you say 'Please'!"  
  
Yukino held onto his wrist, lowered her head to where they were around her middle, and sunk her teeth into tender flesh below his thumb.  
  
"Ack!" Hideaki shrieked. "You bit me!"  
  
"That's what you get, you assh-"  
  
Hideaki had twirled around and placed Yukino onto her feet, right in front of Arima's tall, dark figure.  
  
".hole."  
  
Arima's eyes widened sharply, pretending to be offended. "Well, I never," he mused. Yukino smiled warmly and enveloped Arima into a loving embrace.  
  
"Good morning, Soichiro!"  
  
The high-pitched tone of the school bell sounded loudly throughout the hallway.  
  
"Uh-oh, we'd better get to our class," Rika said. "See you guys later!" She, Aya and Tsubaki hurried out of the room to their first period in class D.  
  
Arima and Yukino parted to head to their seats. He liked sitting somewhere behind Yukino, especially since it allowed him to stare at the sleek hairs on the back of her head all day long. Sometimes the teacher would call on him for the answer to some question when he wasn't paying attention. He almost always somehow managed to answer correctly, which seemed to make the teacher a bit uncomfortable for not catching him. Yukino turned around and smiled at him from a few seats away. Arima waved, and Yukino turned her attention to the front of the classroom as the teacher walked in, placed his briefcase on his desk, and straightened his tie.  
  
Arima's body went on automatic pilot as he took out his math book and opened it to the designated lesson, all the while staring at the sandy locks of Yukino's hair. He watched as she gracefully twisted her hair up into a sophisticated bun and secured it with a few thin plastic hair clips. Now her long, swan-like neck was bared. He eyed the curve of her neck where it connected itself to her shoulder, and found himself wanting to splash fervent kisses all along it. He observed as a few tiny pieces of hair fell forward out of the bun and swept in front of her face. He looked on as she, with a swift and simple movement of the hand, tucked those few strands behind her ears, which were still pink from the cold weather outside. Her slender fingers pinched at pages and gently pushed them back until she reached the day's lesson. He stared as she bent her neck to get a closer look at what they were studying. Mr. Fundari's voice slowly faded into the background and was replaced with a soft symphony. Arima was slightly aware that Mr. Fundari was drawing some figures from the book onto the chalkboard, and every once and a while, he tore his eyes away from the girl to glance up at the board and copy down some notes. His mind was not focused on the studies, however. He simply imitated what the teacher had written down, without taking the time to try and understand it right away. He decided that he would probably take a look at them after school. Right now, his attentions were somewhere else.  
  
He averted his gaze back to his girlfriend, who was raising her hand, offering to complete an equation on the board. Her arms were so graceful, like a ballerina's. He continued to watch as she rose regally from her seat and advanced toward the board. She took the chalk between her thumb and forefinger, and completed the problem in long, complicated strokes, her hand sweeping up, down, and around, up, down, and around. When she finished, she put the chalk down and blew the dust off of her hands, her lips puckering sweetly. Arima was transfixed. Mr. Fundari looked at the board, and looked to the class for conformation, who decided that the problem was completed successfully. He dismissed Yukino back to her seat. Arima smiled. She was so smart, she had always been. So intelligent-  
  
"Arima Soichiro?" Arima's eyes jerked upward, tearing away from Yukino's seated form, and fell on the teacher's face.  
  
"Would you care to tell us the answer to the problem?" Mr. Fundari's lips were pursed together in an annoyed scowl.  
  
"Uhm." Arima glanced down at the page opened on his desk and guessed what problem the class was on. "Line segment AB?" Arima awaited the teacher's reply.  
  
"Good work," he said finally, and returned to the board.  
  
Yukino smiled at him and turned around to face front. Arima beamed. Maybe he should pay more attention so that she could smile proudly like that all the time.  
  
*********************************************************************** Sigh. I'm sorry, but that's all I got for now! Chapter 6, coming soon! And please, please, please review! Please? I'll give you candy! LOL. See ya soon! 


	6. Go To Sleep And Good Night

************************************************************************Ha ha! Back again for another taste! Well, Bon Appetit!  
  
Nope, don't own it!  
  
Chapter 6: Go To Sleep And Good Night  
  
Arima came out of the hallway after school to find Yukino sitting on a wooden bench at the east entrance of the school, reviewing her notes, no less. She held a small pack of note cards in her hand, her lips mouthing formulas and equations. She seemed to be pretty deep in thought. Arima picked up the pace and hovered over her. She blinked and looked up at him, the expression in her eyes changing from concentration to jubilation. The tiny wrinkle between her eyebrows had disappeared.  
  
"Hi."  
  
Arima bent over at the waist to place a small, but loving kiss on her pretty pink lips before standing straight again.  
  
"Hi."  
  
Arima looked to the glass doors at their left. "Do you want to come to my house this afternoon? My club meeting was cancelled."  
  
Yukino smiled. "Okay. This is the only day all week that I'm free after school." "Great." Arima grinned. "I'll walk you to the bus stop." He helped her gather her papers and books, and put on her coat for her.  
  
"Thank you," Yukino replied gratefully.  
  
"No problem."  
  
The two picked up their book bags and pushed open the glass doors at the east entrance, bundling themselves up more tightly as the exited into the walkway.  
  
"So, how was your day?" Arima smiled.  
  
"Oh, it was okay. I tried to get my lesson plan all ready in between classes for tomorrow. I have to tutor that second-year student after school."  
  
Arima nodded gravely and decided to change the subject. "Hide-baka was reprimanded again today for tossing caplets full of mineral water all over the table of first year girls next to us at lunch."  
  
Yukino placed a hand to her mouth and laughed lightly, clouds of heat passing between her fingers and rising into the cold atmosphere. "Oh, that's just because he likes them!"  
  
"Yes," Arima agreed, "but they didn't seem to think so. I think they felt that he was picking on them because they were underclassmen."  
  
"Oh, no!" Yukino laughed again, and adjusted her coat sleeve, which was bunching up at the wrist. Her white scarf hung loosely at her shoulder. Arima stopped walking.  
  
"Here," he said, and wrapped the scarf more tightly around her collar. "You'll catch cold."  
  
"Thanks Mom," Yukino joked.  
  
Arima's features softened. "I just want you to be well. Being sick is miserable, and I don't ever want you to feel that way."  
  
Yukino's face flushed, but not with the cold.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
They continued their way and made it to the bus stop earlier than expected. None of the other students who usually waited with them had arrived yet. They looked around. They could see no one yet. The two just stood and silence, stealing glances at each other from their peripheral vision. Arima looked down at Yukino's bare legs, shaking in the freezing air. He moved closer to her and placed a hand onto her waist. She looked up at him. Without warning, he took a few more steps, took her shoulders into her hands, and pressed her up against a tree. He thumbed at her frosty lips and warmed them with his own. Yukino 's knees weakened, and her foot slipped against an icy overgrown tree root.  
  
"Mmm---Ahh!" She thumped her backside against the tree, and almost fell, but Arima caught her, startled.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
Yukino winced and rubbed at her nether cheek. "I think so."  
  
They frowned as they heard a peculiar rumbling overhead. A dark, snowcapped tree branch shook above them, and a mini avalanche of snow descended upon them, a freezing shower of fresh powder soaking their hair and clothes.  
  
Heads turned as a snowy and damp Yukino and Arima stepped onto the bus. Arima helped Yukino brush the caked snow out of her hair and scarf, obviously amused at her ridiculous state, yet, at the same time, mesmerized by the sustaining beauty that shone through her situation. The two tried to remain quiet and suppressed their laughter for the remainder of the trip.  
  
The keys jangled as Arima twisted a tip into the doorknob in the front of his house, and opened the door for Yukino to enter in front of him. His house had that musty, unoccupied disposition of a busy family that was usually away in their own little universes at school and at work.  
  
"Would you like some hot chocolate?" Arima offered as he tore open a package of mix.  
  
"Yes, please," Yukino answered politely. She felt she was perhaps being too formal with him, but she remembered the last time she was at his house that past weekend. After a few minutes of rustling in the kitchen, Arima went to his room, where Yukino prepared her lesson plan for tutoring.  
  
"Here you go." He placed a tray of two mugs of hot chocolate on the small table in front of her. Yukino reached for her mug, without taking her eyes off of her notes. She took a sip. Arima waited for her approval. Yukino lowered her mug and looked into it.  
  
"Oh!" her face lit up immediately. "You put marshmallows in, just like I like it!"  
  
Arima beamed proudly. "How could I forget? The one I love is always special."  
  
Yukino giggled. They were just marshmallows! She took her mixing spoon and scooped out the tiny puffs of sugar and shoveled them into her mouth, her cheeks filling with chocolate. Arima extended his arm across the table, trying to stop her.  
  
"W-wait!"  
  
Yukino smiled a chocolatey, tightlipped smiled until her eyes slowly widened. She thumped her chest and gasped with her mouth still closed. She swallowed quickly.  
  
"Argh!" She coughed. "Hot!" She took another sip, hoping foolishly that liquid would cool her down. Instead, of course, it burned all the way down.  
  
"Gahhhhh!!!!"  
  
Arima rushed to her side. "Are you all right?"  
  
Yukino blinked. "Yes. She smiled weakly. "Thanks for the marshmallows."  
  
Arima chuckled at first and then burst into uncontrollable laughter. Yukino pursed her lips together and pretended to be angry for a moment before collapsing into giggles herself.  
  
"Ahh." she sighed, wiping tears from her eyes. "I'd better keep going with these notes."  
  
Arima sipped his chocolate in silence, keeping his eyes on her as she scribbled equations in her notebook and murmured possible explanations to give to her second-year student. Yukino yawned several times and wiped her eyes. She looked sleepily up at Arima.  
  
"What?"  
  
Arima blinked, noticing that he had been looking at her for the past few minutes.  
  
"You look sleepy."  
  
Yukino rubbed her eyes. "I think it was that hot chocolate."  
  
Arima stayed silent for a moment.  
  
"Do you want my bed?"  
  
Yukino looked up in surprise. This was exactly what she was afraid of.  
  
Arima looked down at his lap. "You can just rest for a moment. We don't have to do anything."  
  
By this time, Yukino was extremely embarrassed. Now he was acknowledging the fact that they might DO something in his bed! But she was so tired, she decided to comply.  
  
"Okay, thanks."  
  
She stood up groggily, pushed back the sheets and comforter and climbed in. Once her head hit the pillow, she was wide awake. It smelled so strongly of him. His shampoo was incredible!  
  
Arima did his homework as Yukino thrashed and tossed and turned. Now she couldn't get to sleep! After a while, Arima paged through his math notebook and looked up at her.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
Yukino propped her self up on one elbow.  
  
"I'm feeling restless."  
  
Arima paused.  
  
"Do you want me to rub your back?"  
  
Yukino started. *I thought he said we didn't have to DO anything!!!* Yukino thought frantically.  
  
Arima blinked. "You know, 'cause it will help you get to sleep."  
  
Yukino smiled a secret smile to herself. "No it won't."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nevermind." Yukino's smile broadened. She knew very well that if he rubbed her back, she would be more awake than ever.  
  
She buried her head into his pillow, closed her eyes, and drifted off to dreamland. ************************************************************************ Wow! This chapter just rolled along! Can't wait for chapter 7!! I got it all up here! *taps forehead* Please review!! 


	7. What Will I tell Him Tomorrow?

Ugh, I tried to indent all of my paragraphs in the last couple of chapters, but something went wrong when I submitted them to the website! Sorry, y'all! Anyways, Here we go with chapter 7!! Wheeee!  
  
Oops, wait a second, almost forgot---I don't own this series!!  
  
Chapter 7: What Do I Tell Him Tomorrow?  
  
Yukino only rang the doorbell once before entering her home later that evening because her sisters wrenched the door open the second she had pressed the rectangular button on the side of the door.  
  
"Where have you been?" Kano demanded angrily.  
  
Yukino stepped back a few steps, obviously startled. "Uh, uhm, I-I-"  
  
This is where Tsuki came in. "Mom and Dad have been calling over and over from work! They're working late tonight. They've been worried sick!"  
  
"And so have we!" Kano interjected tersely.  
  
Yukino frowned. "Jeez, I'm sorry. I was at Arima's house. I guess I forgot to call."  
  
Kano and Tsuki's anger seemed to fade a bit.  
  
"Oh."  
  
Tsuki wagged her finger in front of Yukino's face.  
  
"Well, don't do it again!"  
  
"Okay, okay."  
  
Yukino stepped into the house and dumped her bag and damp winter wear behind the door before shutting it closed.  
  
She looked up and saw Tsuki and Kano watching her closely, smirking secretively.  
  
Kano grinned.  
  
"What were you doing at Arima's house, anyway?"  
  
Yukino was taken aback.  
"N-Nothing!" She had no idea why she sounded so nervous!  
  
Tsuki smiled smugly. "Uh-huh."  
  
Now Yukino was angry.  
  
"Well, it's the truth!"  
  
"Sure, sure. Well, I'm gonna call Mom and Dad and tell them you're home."  
  
Yukino's eyebrows knitted together in annoyance.  
  
"Jeez," she muttered to herself. She ran to her room and decided to continue her work on the lesson plan for tomorrow, since she was so well rested by now.  
  
Yukino shifted out of her classroom after the last bell of the day rang. She was so tired! Today had been a busy day, indeed! Tests, projects, gym, papers, packets, reports, disks, lesson plans---it was all so much work! She lifted a hand to her forehead, tensing her fingers and rubbing her temple. She wasn't sure if she could tutor Katsutoshi Koichi after school today. But then, Yukino clenched her hand into a tight fist, suddenly determined.  
  
*But no! I agreed to help a second-year student get by with his schoolwork! I have already made a commitment! This is all a part of maturing and becoming more responsible!*  
  
Yukino nodded proudly and glided down the hall. She turned the corner, and saw Arima standing in front of the glass doors, with his books in his hand. All of a sudden, Yukino was pumped with energy.  
  
The glass doors opened as a pair of first-year students exited toward the bus stop, and a rush of cold air swept across the tile floors and filled the room, sending Arima's hair blowing about his cool, mysterious eyes. Yukino stood there, open-mouthed.  
  
*He is such an angel!*  
  
Arima turned and smiled when he saw her. Yukino grinned brightly and hurried over to him, like a faithful and loyal puppy dog. Arima's arms swallowed her in an embrace. They snuggled for a bit, murmuring sweet greetings and shreds of mindless conversation into each other's rosy-pink ears. Arima sighed.  
  
"So, do you have any after-school activities today?"  
  
Yukino embedded her face into his jacket.  
  
"No, not really. I just have to tutor this evening, remember?" She felt Arima tense under her arms.  
  
"You're tutoring that boy?" Arima asked, "That new second-year boy? The one that you tutor in the library all the time?"  
  
Yukino slowly released dropped her arms from around his shoulders. She stepped back a little, eyeing him strangely.  
  
"Yeah.," she said slowly. "Katsutoshi. But today, we're not meeting in the library, we're going to his house."  
  
Something changed a little in Arima's face. Yukino smiled inwardly.  
  
*Oh my gosh, is he jealous? Soichiro?*  
  
Suddenly, Arima was even more beautiful to her. He treasured her so much! Yukino's secret smile grew. Soichiro had absolutely nothing to worry about.  
  
Yukino stood in front of her vanity mirror in her room and secured two large strands of hair back with two hair clips. She quickly brushed the rest of her loose hair to a shiny finish. She zipped up her white hoodie pullover, thrust her feet into her sneakers, grabbed her backpack and her coat, and was out the door.  
  
She arrived at the house and looked up to the second floor. The house was so wide. It was humongous! She gave herself a coy smile. But not as huge and lavish as Soichiro's house! Her coy smile turned into a huge grin. He was so cute that day after school! He really had no reason to be jealous! This was a second-year student! Just her student!  
  
Yukino pressed the doorbell and could hear its chirping chime from outside the house. In a few moments, a delightful-looking middle-aged woman in an apron answered the door.  
  
"Oh, hello! You must be Yukino, Koichi's tutor! Come on in, make yourself at home."  
  
Yukino's smile brightened.  
  
"Thank you," she said politely.  
  
Katsutoshi was standing behind his mother.  
  
"Hi," he said simply. "You want anything?"  
  
Yukino hung her coat on the hook by the door and grabbed her backpack off of her shoulders.  
  
"No, but thanks. Where will we be studying today?"  
  
"In my room." He said nothing more.  
  
Yukino had seen during their past few lessons that he was somewhat a quiet student. He only really spoke when spoken to and always listened to her explanations intently, and understood them easily. She wondered if he really needed her help in math anymore. But his grades still were quite horrible.  
  
She slowly ascended the stairs behind him, thinking sourly that, although his house wasn't as big as Soichiro's, it was still much bigger than hers.  
  
They reached his bedroom without a word. She looked around the room. His house was big, but it looked like he had unfortunately received the smallest room in the house. There was a small table located at the foot of the bed, and the bed was close to the door.  
  
*All this silence is killing me,* she thought desperately, *I'd better begin this lesson.*  
  
Yukino bent over to place her notebook on the table when Koichi suddenly wrapped his arms around her small waist and pulled her into a sitting position on his lap, his legs straddling her from behind.  
  
"Wha-" Yukino gasped.  
  
In one swift motion, he had unzipped her pullover open down to her navel. Wordlessly, he reached around and found her chest. Yukino stiffened, unsure of what to do. His palm stumbled over her skin and his fingers tortured her flesh. Despite the waves of revulsion reverberating throughout her skeleton, she continued her protrude and sat still. It lasted for only a short while, but to Yukino, it felt like days! She stayed silent until he pinched the very tip of her.  
  
Yukino then leapt to her feet and shut her pullover closed with one hand. She was livid.  
  
"Who told you that you could touch me?!"  
  
Still, he said nothing. Yukino's lips pursed together in anger. She picked up her notebook and tossed it at his head. Without looking back to see if it had made contact with anything-hopefully with his eye-she opened the door and ran.  
  
Yukino hurried down the stairs and arrived at the front door. She vehemently turned the gold-plated knob, swung the door open, and slammed hard it behind her. She ran all the way to the bus stop.  
  
*Heel, to toe, Heel to toe, Roll your foot from heel to toe.* Her mind heaved forth running instructions for her feet, anything to get it off of the subject of what had just taken place.  
  
She collapsed on the bench, breathing hard. It was already dark outside, and she was surprised to find herself very frightened. She was very cold, also. It was then that she realized that she had left her jacket in that boy's home. She shivered and cursed her idiocy. She sat for a while and rung her hands together in frustration and anguish, and a whole mix of feelings that she could not comprehend.  
  
*That was all so wrong!* She thought, a sheet of nausea curling in her stomach.  
  
She played with her fingers nervously, twisting them and bending them until the joints in her hands creaked with pain.  
  
"Oh, come on, come on." she murmured impatiently. Why wasn't the bus here yet?!  
  
Yukino frowned. The bus wasn't there because it was still way too early. Their "lesson" had been cut extremely short. She was so cold. Yukino shoved her arms inside of her pullover so that they could be closer to her body and its heat. She tucked her legs in front of her on the bench and rolled up into a ball, trying desperately to shrink herself. She bit her lip and pulled the hood of her pullover up over her head. There....she was definitely warmer, but she didn't feel any less dirty. She sighed loudly, her breath cutting her throat. Why had her student behaved so strangely? She had come to his house to teach him math, nothing else! She couldn't believe it. Here, she had been willing to help another student, and she only ended up getting herself felt on. She shuddered. Oh, that had been so uncomfortable! She was so embarrassed. A thought hurled itself from the back of her minds to the tip of her tongue. Was it right for her to let him know?  
  
"What should I tell Soichiro?"  
  
Yukino boarded the bus and found a seat alone in the back, so that her thoughts wouldn't be disturbed. She began to bite her nails, a habit that she had almost never indulged in before.  
  
How was she going to deal with this? What he had done back there was so blatant, so forward, so out there!  
  
*I mean, Soichiro didn't even start that kind of stuff with me until--*  
  
She shook her head at the thought. She placed a hand to her red face, as if her cheeks would boil if she didn't cool them down with her frozen fingers. It had been so long since they had done anything like that. What had happened at his house that snowy evening was just a mere taste of what they could do, she knew that. They had decided to abstain from sex as much as possible. They agreed it was the best thing to do for them, as two young people in high school. But still.sometimes it was hard. It was just that Soichiro was always there, right in front of her, ripe for the taking. It would be so easy to just.  
  
Yukino shook her head so hard that one of her hair clips flew out of her hair and clattered to the floor. The piece of hair it had been holding back flew in front of her face. She tucked it behind her ear and returned to her thoughts.  
  
So now, the sexual part of their relationship had diminished to a sort of humility and hesitance that brought her back to the beauty of the start of their relationship. She felt that in a way, she was regressing back to that point in time, when she was so attracted to him, both of them not knowing what to do with themselves.  
  
*Being in love is so much fun!* she thought for what had to be the millionth time over the past three years.  
  
Yeah, I know, that kid was so stupid for doing what he did, but I felt I had to put it in! I hope you guys found it both--*gasp*--- shocking-and *ohhhhh*----interesting.  
  
Please review!! 


	8. Tomorrow

Yeah, I know, that kid was so stupid for doing what he did, but I felt I had to put it in! I hope you guys found it both--*gasp*--- shocking-and *ohhhhh*----interesting.  
  
Please review!!  
  
Yeah! It's what you've all been waiting for-Chapter 8!  
  
Don't own it!!  
  
Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 8: Tomorrow  
  
Arima waited outside the school building before school. He frowned as he scanned the yard for any sign of her. She had looked so beautiful after school yesterday when those glass doors opened, reddening her cheeks with the cold, and the wind whipping her smooth, reddish hair about her face. A mental picture of Yukino entering the school hall with her tutoring student on her arm haunted him. He could just imagine that guy, with a cool, nasty sideways smirk on his face, walking arm and arm with Yukino. He knew it was an unlikely thing to happen, but still.he knew that her student, whatever his name was---Matsuyoshi?-liked her. Who in his right mind wouldn't?  
  
Arima sighed and dug his hands into his pockets. He looked to his left, and, relieved, he saw Yukino rushing happily toward him with a big smile on her face, and no other student on her arm, thankfully.  
  
"Hi," Yukino said cheerfully.  
  
"Hi," he replied, before wrapping his arms around her. He noticed that she was wearing a large, crocheted white sweater.  
  
"Where's your coat?" he asked, still smiling. "Its way too cold to just wear your sweater, though it is beautiful."  
  
Yukino's smile diminished, despite his compliment.  
  
"Oh, well, see, I f-forgot it," She offered feebly. A tiny line formed between Arina's eyebrows as he looked over her head at something behind them. Yukino disengaged herself from his arms and whirled around.  
  
Katsutoshi Koichi was sauntering toward her with her winter coat and notebook in his hands.  
  
Her stomach dropped to her knees.  
  
"Here, Miyazawa," Katsutoshi handed her the coat first. "You forgot your coat at my house last night." He placed her notebook in her other hand. "You left your notebook, too."  
  
"Oh, uhm, thanks."  
  
Yukino tried to smile, but was secretly disappointed that his eyeball wasn't dangling out of his socket due to having her notebook so violently hurled at his empty head the night before.  
  
Arima found himself placing his hand on Yukino's shoulder possessively. Yukino looked up at him. He was frowning. She looked down again.  
  
*He's so upset just because Katsutoshi handed me my stuff! Just think of how unhappy he would be if he knew.*  
  
Maybe she wouldn't tell him, just yet.  
  
Yukino shifted her weight to the side, and placing her head humbly onto his chest, wrapped her arms around his lean waist. Arima gave a small smile and placed one hand on her arm, and ruffled her hair affectionately with the other. Boyfriends and girlfriends didn't have to talk all the time. ************  
  
"Mmm,"  
  
His lips sunk into hers and his hands grasped around her shoulders, holding her tightly. Yukino's head swam as Arima worked his soft lips professionally, as if kissing were a profession, leaving her breathless.  
  
*How did we end up like this again?* she asked herself, amazed at how aggressive Arima had been with her this evening.  
  
He had been waiting for her to come out after clubs, and insisted rather heavily that she come to have some hot chocolate with him at his home. She felt that she could only comply, a mug of hot chocolate sounded nice after a long day of after-school activities.  
  
But she should have known the MEANING behind his invitation.  
  
So now she was here, with Soichiro-kissing. She didn't know what to do. The way this was going, she knew that soon things would get a little warmer. But it would be a little while before she felt comfortable feeling that way again. Until the filth lifted completely from her, she still felt a bit ashamed of the night before. Yukino enjoyed their time spent together, but the tiny voice in the back of her mind told her not to lose control. She didn't know whether she should be angry at that voice or thankful for it. She missed feeling free with Soichiro. It was mind-boggling how just one event such as the one that had taken place a whole day ago could affect the way she thought and felt around her boyfriend, the one she trusted.  
  
Sure enough, Soichiro's hands began to stray from her shoulders. She took no time to feel out that transition from bliss to discomfort. Yukino quickly, but softly elbowed Arima in the chest, the swift movement signaling a gentle, but firm "back off". Arima looked a bit surprised for a moment, before he gave something resembling a tiny nod, and suddenly became very interested by the millions of tiny threads woven in his uniform slacks. Yukino turned around after a while and hugged her knees. He had looked so sad.  
  
*Why couldn't I have been that quick to react with Katsutoshi?*  
  
It was so strange the way she was reacting today. It was like she was a totally different person, at least in her own eyes. Just think how much of a broken person she would be right now if Koichi had gone farther- She shook her head.  
  
She was so ashamed.  
  
"U-um-I have to go," She stammered. Yukino stuffed her things into her back pack, flung her coat over her shoulders, and headed toward the door. She felt like crying, but not here, in front of Soichiro. Then he would know something was up, and then she would have to tell him. Arima stretched his arm out toward her, wanting to say something, but only achieving to look after her, his mouth open dumbly, until she left.  
  
Yukino bit her lip as she walked quickly to the corner. She was such an idiot! She rejected Soichiro, but had taken longer to be angry with Koichi that evening! Why? She had probably liked it. Was there something wrong with her?  
  
She was a harlot! A whore! She was so ashamed. This was so horrible. SHE was so horrible. And confused. Really, what had taken place? Would Soichiro be angry with her? Sometimes boys saw girls' actions differently. And he had been jealous of Katsutoshi! What if he thought that something was going on between the two of them, and that was why she wouldn't continue with him? This was crazy! She had probably hurt his feelings, and she knew he didn't deserve that.  
  
Under the course of thirty seconds' time, a million thoughts sprinted through her mind. She ran a nervous hand through her hair and sighed, trying to take her mind off of the dull ache. She increased her speed, rolling her feet from heel to toe in long, distance-covering strides. It was as if her escape bus had been waiting for her. She dragged herself up the tiny steps, pushed her way to the back and plopped herself down. It was as if she had just run a thousand miles. She anxiously bounced her knee up and down, sniffling. Yukino propped an elbow up on the edge of her thigh and cupped her chin in her hand. She shook her head, clucking disapprovingly at herself.  
  
*What is wrong with me?* Yukino shook her head again.  
  
*I can't believe this! What a hasty good-bye! The least I could have done is been more tactful for Soichiro's sake!*  
  
She cursed herself under her breath. She kept trying to forget the things that happened-what was it now? Only less than fifteen minutes ago? But her mind just kept tracing back to the bad dream. She had to run things over in her mind again. She had to find a way to fix this-and fast. Yukino gave up trying to balance her elbows on her restless knees and bent over totally at the waist, burying her face into her lap. She exhaled slowly. Should she tell him? How would he react? She pouted. No. It would be too soon. Maybe she would tell him next month. Or, by the very latest.a few months after the New Year. Yukino knitted her eyebrows together, irritated. Did he really need to know?  
  
*I mean, it's not like it was a big deal. It was just a little pass made by a second year student. It really wasn't a big deal!*  
  
In the very back of her mind, far away, in that little corner, she knew it was a big deal by the way it made her feel. It had felt almost as if she needed to exfoliate with a scouring pad.  
  
So.yeah, that's Chapter 8. Sorry it took a while, and it just breezed past like that, but final exams are coming up, and I've been extremely busy, not to mention tired! Oh, and please don't forget to review! Just think of it as a special present to me around exam time. Please? 


	9. Thoughts To Myself

Yeah, yeah, I know.that last chapter really wasn't a good cliffy. What was I thinking? Well, anyway, wheeee! Here is the arrival of Chapter 9!  
  
Kare Kano does not belong to the likes of me. ;_____;  
  
Too bad, so sadd.  
  
So, yeah, here it is!  
  
Chapter 9: Thoughts To Myself  
  
Yukino padded down the sidewalk toward her home. She took her key out of her pocket and turned it into the lock. She tried to be as quiet as possible. She didn't want anyone bounding up to her with some extra- cheerful greeting, just in case she felt like being alone.  
  
Which she did.  
  
Yukino looked up and down the short corridor in front of the door. Good, no one was to be seen.  
  
*They all must be out, seeing a movie or something.*  
  
Instead of taking off her coat in front, Yukino tiptoed up to her room and closed the door behind her. There, she tossed her coat onto her desk chair and pulled her white crocheted sweater off over her head. Suddenly she was really tired. Her feet were hurting, and her vision blurred as tears teetered on her eyelashes. Without bothering to remove her uniform, Yukino pulled her sheets and comforter back, and crawled into bed, feeling extremely lonely, yet wanting to be left alone all the same. She sniffled again. Her joints were aching. She couldn't help it. The tears finally fell, leaving a wet streak down the space between her eye and her ear, since she was on her side. More tears collected on the bridge of her nose, and she wiped them away hurriedly, mentally chastising herself for being so sensitive. She wasn't much of a crier, but the tears just kept coming. It was all so embarrassing! And now she was bawling like a baby. Her pillow soon became uncomfortably wet, and she rolled over on her stomach. The area between her shoulder blades was in pain.  
  
*A backrub would be so nice right now.*  
  
Immediately she began to think about Arima and dug her face into her damp pillow. She couldn't stand it. She needed him. She wanted him to hold her. She needed to be held so badly.  
  
*But it's too late for that now,* she thought bitterly.  
  
*I really blew it, didn't I?*  
  
Still, it was like a slight ache up and down her sides, and across her back. It hurt anywhere his arms might fall around her. She wished she could let him move his hands in circles on her back, but the more she thought about it, the more it hurt. She was concentrating too much on the pain. But what was she supposed to do? She sniffled again and choked back a sorrowful whimper.  
  
*I'm acting too much like a baby,* she thought, agitated.  
  
*Who am I kidding? I need to tell him!*  
  
Yukino's pale cheeks sagged as her pink lips pulled downward into a frown. But should she really? Her mouth now formed a determined line. Yes, she definitely should. Soon. Some time soon. Sometime.  
  
She sighed loudly and rubbed her face into her pillow, trying to rid her face of the salty tear stains. She relaxed her shoulders and smushed her nose into her mattress. She didn't feel like thinking anymore. She just wanted to sleep.  
  
When Yukino awoke some time later, however, her throat was extremely scratchy, and her joints were hurting more than ever. It was so hard to breathe through her nose, and when she opened her mouth to inhale, it seemed as if the air alone was burning her throat. Her entire body was burning! She threw the sheet off of herself and hopped weakly out of bed.  
  
"Ouch," she croaked. The arches of her feet were sore. She stared in to her vanity mirror and grimaced at her reflection. Her nose was as red as a cherry! Her tangled hair stuck to her slick forehead and at the sides of her face. She looked down at her self and picked at the light clothes she was wearing, her expression changing from disgust to puzzlement. Someone had changed her into an oversized white tee shirt and blue sweatpants. A bumping sound averted her attention to the door. Her mother entered, balancing a tray of hot ramen in her hands.  
  
"Oh! Yukino, you're up!"  
  
Yukino bit her lip. "Mom, what time is it?"  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa glanced at the blue digital clock on Yukino's desk. "  
  
"It's nine twenty-seven."  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
Yukino flew to her dresser, digging and picking through her neatly folded vestments.  
  
"I'm so late!" she groaned, tossing pairs of underwear over her shoulder.  
  
"Where the heck is my uniform?!"  
  
"I-"  
  
Yukino whirled around to face her mother. She would have laughed if she wasn't so frustrated. A pair of underwear had landed in the bowl of ramen, and a shirt was hanging over her mother's face.  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa shook her head and the shirt fell to the floor.  
  
"I washed your uniform while you were asleep. How many times have I told you not to take naps in it?"  
  
Yukino didn't answer. Her head was clouded, and she was still confused.  
  
"So why aren't I in school?"  
  
Her mother eyebrows rose. "Well, you're sick, dear."  
  
Yukino swallowed painfully.  
  
"Oh." She slowly sat down on her bed.  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa strode daintily over to Yukino's desk and put the tray down carefully.  
  
"We told you to wear your coat yesterday, but you were so intent on sporting that sweater to school instead."  
  
Yukino bit her lip again.  
  
"Mm-hmm. So, I'm not going to school?"  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa was on her way out of the door.  
  
"No, honey," she called from down the hallway.  
  
Yukino waddled to the door and closed it, her mind in a daze. Great. So now she was stuck at home to spend the entire day thinking about what had happened yesterday!  
  
*Does this mean that I will have to wait until I get well again to tell Soichiro?*  
  
This was horrible! So now she didn't have the entire day only to think about her embarrassment, but she had the entire day to anticipate the unveiling of truth!  
  
Yukino held her head in her hands and squeezed her eyes shut.  
  
*I can't believe this! And I was so gung-ho about telling him, too!*  
  
Yukino pursed her lips together and stared into space. She hopped onto her bed, her legs hanging over the side, disheveling her bed sheets even more. Maybe this extra day of procrastination wouldn't be so bad. At least she could go over the possibilities in her head. How should she tell him? Exactly WHEN should she tell him? And, for the thousandth time, was telling him now really so important? Maybe she should tell him six months from now, so he wouldn't get too upset. If she told him that Koichi had hit on her up- she shivered--only a couple days ago, well, who knew what would happen? If, by the time she told him, it would be half a year, maybe it would seem like more of a long time ago, and he would see it as unimportant as it really was. Yukino smiled for the first time in what seemed like eons.  
  
*Yeah! That's such a great idea!*  
  
She folded her legs up onto the mattress and rolled onto her back. She was so weary. But she still needed to be held.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Sigh. it's hard sometimes. But I swear things will get interesting soon! Just stay tuned and don't miss the next chapter of Random Hearts on fanfiction.net! Thanks for all of the lovely reviews! 


	10. Everything Intensified

Yes! Yes! Yes! Yeee-haw! It's the tenth chapter!  
  
Still don't own it!!  
  
Have a good time, everybody!  
  
Chapter 10: Everything Intensified  
  
Yukino tossed and turned, writhing with energy she didn't know what to do with. She twisted her body into countless positions. In a way, she was feeling restless. Her torso ached with something other than illness. She flushed and bit her lip belligerently. Yes, she remembered this feeling.  
  
It was the want.  
  
She had a need to be fulfilled. But she couldn't feel this way! Not without him there! What was she to do? The flush in her cheeks intensified. She knew of a lot she could do, but---no! That would only make things worse! Then it would be harder for her to keep their promise to put off the intimacy of their relationship until it was right for them!  
  
She rolled over onto her stomach and grasped a corner of the sheets in her hand. She tried desperately to suppress the feelings that stormed over her being. She tried to forget-and failed.  
  
Yukino hummed tunelessly as she plopped down at the dinner table the next morning. She felt so much better this morning! Her nose was clear, her throat, cool and healthy. Her joints weren't aching, just cracking a lot.  
  
Her parents noticed her peppy mood and looked at each other with approval.  
  
"So, you're feeling better, Yuki?" her sister Tsuki asked.  
  
Yukino nodded cheerfully. "Yup! I feel really great this morning!"  
  
"Wow, honey," her mother breathed, "You recovered from the flu much more quickly than I thought you would!"  
  
Her father lifted his fork.  
  
"I think it's all that running and exercising she does. Keeps her immune system powerful," he said through a mouthful off broiled fish.  
  
"Yeah, and today I can go to school!" Yukino exclaimed, ignoring her father's nonexistent table manners.  
  
Kano stared at her pointedly.  
  
"You're excited because you can go to school?"  
  
Yukino looked into her lap.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
*So I can finally tell Soichiro,* she thought silently to herself.  
  
Yukino wrapped herself in her wool black wool coat and walked briskly through the crunchy, white snow. Her shoulders rose stiffly close to her ears, and her snugly gloved fingers tightened into a ball. She was eager to get it over with.  
  
*And once I do, I'll feel so much better, and I can go back to feeling honest with Soichiro!*  
  
She gulped.  
  
*It's all a part of taking responsibility and being an adult. Just say it, and the rest of your day will be a breeze. There will be nothing else to worry about,* she reassured herself.  
  
Slowly, her shoulders relaxed, and she released her fingers one by one.  
  
Yukino stood outside of the main entrance of the school where she caught sight of her gaggle of friends. They seemed to be very much in deep conversation with each other.  
  
Yukino smiled. Her friends always made her feel so carefree and happy, and the sight of them made her rush up to them, smiling. Rika pointed at her, and the rest turned their heads and bodies in her direction simultaneously. Their expressions were indifferent. Yukino's feet slowed to a stop in front of them.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked slowly.  
  
They looked at the ground and said nothing for a moment. Hideaki put his arm around her shoulder and quietly led the group to an isolated bench on the school's snow-mounded lawn. He gently stood in front of her and, very slowly, placing both hands on her shoulders, applied pressure to signal her to sit. Her book bag slid off of her shoulder. Yukino lowered herself slowly, still looking up at her friend's worried faces.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked again. Hideaki sighed and ran a hand through his golden hair, messy and brittle from the parasitic winter winds.  
  
Yukino averted her gaze to Tsubasa, who was suddenly very aware of the severity of her unkempt fingernails. Suddenly Yukino saw something that made her stomach churn. A boy of medium height stumbled weakly through the courtyard behind Tsubaka. His cheeks were black and blue and swollen to twice their size. Several sickening lumps bulged from his brow, slumping over one eye, causing it to shrink. His lips had strange-looking (were they growths?) sticking out from them, and they were puckered outward like the yellow beak of a duck. Every wrinkle and dent on his swelling mouth was enlarged, each line stretching widely. The boy glanced at her, and then, perhaps because he noticed her looking strangely at him, turned abruptly and hurried into the main entrance, his legs moving grotesquely and in a nervous and staccato manner.  
  
Yukino slowly lifted her hand and pointed to where the boy had been standing.  
  
"Who was that? What happened to that guy?"  
  
Hideaki looked at her gravely.  
  
"That was Koichi Katsutoshi. Arima did that to him after school yesterday."  
  
Yukino was flabbergasted. Her heart sunk into the freezing pit of her stomach.  
  
*Oh my God...*  
  
She couldn't ask, but she dared to anyway.  
  
"W-Why? What happened?"  
  
No one said anything for awhile until Maho cleared her throat quietly.  
  
"Well, it seems that Koichi has been spreading rumors about you and what you two do during your tutoring lessons."  
  
Yukino's mouth dropped open.  
  
"WHAT?" she pronounced each consonant tersely.  
  
"He also says you like it," Maho continued.  
  
"He said you were a good teacher," Tsubasa said softly.  
  
Hideaki tightened his fist into a ball.  
  
"Is it true, Yukino?" he asked carefully after a moment.  
  
Yukino covered her nose and her mouth with her hands and shook her head in disbelief.  
  
"Oh my God," she muttered shakily.  
  
Yukino shook her head and saw another figure standing on the other side of the courtyard.  
  
Arima was looking at her.  
  
Yukino's shoulders rose. Her legs couldn't seem to be working. She couldn't stand up. She couldn't read his face. It was a mixture of many different emotions, but she could only recognize one-hurt.  
  
*I hurt Soichiro.*  
  
The thought filled her head, swelling outward and pushing painfully on her skull.  
  
*I wonder what he is thinking?*  
  
The cold breeze blew, sending his dark hair flying over his drooped eyelids. The piercing wind only seemed to rub salt into his wounds, and she could see it on his face.  
  
Her legs wobbled as she pushed her hands down on the bench's icy metal armrests, and pushed herself up. She turned slowly and placed a shaking hand to her forehead. Her knees knocking together, she shivered into the school building.  
  
She needed to go.  
  
She needed to think.  
  
She needed to cry.  
  
Yukino blew her nose one last time on another piece of brittle toilet paper and leaned backwards, resting her head on the gray marble wall in the dark, narrow bathroom cubicle. Her nose burned from the all the tissue paper. She thought bitterly that the school needed to get more money and purchase some new paper for the bathrooms. Her mind wandered. It had been hard enough trying to concentrate in math, when she could just feel Arima's pernicious glares on her back of her stupid head. He had looked away coldly when she turned to face him. She noticed that the knuckles on his left hand were bandaged up with white tape. Aya must have seen Yukino staring at Arima's hand, because when she sadly looked back at her notebook, she whispered into Yukino's ear that Arima had hurt his hand when he busted Koichi's lip. He had given her mean glares all day in the hallways. He turned his head away from her every time she was on the brink of tears. He moved away angrily whenever she came within ten feet of him. The eyes that had looked so lovingly at her in the past now were filled with antipathy, and when they weren't they were packed with a constant loathing.  
  
She simply couldn't believe it. Her once-loving Soichiro had been so sweet, but now she had hurt him arrantly, and hardened his heart to her desperate glances.  
  
Yukino slumped downward and sat on the chilled bathroom floor. She hugged her knees.  
  
*How come I can never tell him the things that are the most important to us? I'm afraid of everything! I'm so weak.* she thought.  
  
She was so fallacious in their relationship; she always seemed to be deceiving him when she refused to tell him that she loved him because she was too afraid, or when she forgot to tell him how wonderful and kind, and beautiful and admirable he was.  
  
The bell toned. Yukino checked her watch dismally. School was over. It was time for clubs.  
  
"Argh!" she threw her head back in exasperation, her silky red hair flying from her face.  
  
She sniffled.  
  
"I am not in the mood for clubs."  
  
She looked around where she was sitting. Her backpack was shoved in the corner next to her, she had a carbonated drink in her purse, and there was enough tissue paper to dab at her red-rimmed eyes.  
  
*Maybe I can just stay in here for a while.*  
  
She smiled forlornly to herself. She pressed her slender fingers to her forehead and hot tears spilled down her cheeks.  
  
Yukino plodded down the empty language wing, her polished heels echoing off of the walls. She came to the end of the hallway, ready to exit out into the cold, winter weather when stopped suddenly.  
  
And there was Koichi.  
  
A dull rush of anger blew from her ankles to her heart.  
  
He looked at her without saying a word.  
  
Yukino tightened her hands into tiny fists, shaking with un-nameable furor.  
  
Koichi moved slowly toward her. He stood before her for a moment, and nefariously wrapped his arm around her tiny waist. She pursed her lips together, two angry specks of red forming on her cheeks.  
  
He brought his face to her ear.  
  
"I told all the teachers that I got into a car accident, so your beloved Arima and I wouldn't get expelled for fighting."  
  
He took his face away from her ear and moved his swelling lips closer to hers.  
  
Her anger spread like a star burst out of her heart and diffused into the rest of her body. She didn't care that he had been beaten to a bloody pulp the afternoon before. She wouldn't have cared if his arms had been disconnected from the rest of his disgusting body. She didn't care.  
  
With the speed of a ferocious cat, she grabbed him by the front of his uniform shirt and rammed him into the lockers standing at the edge of the hallway.  
  
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" she snarled. "You can't just force your feelings on someone else like that!"  
  
Koichi's eyelids drooped lazily and his pudgy mouth was set into a line. His bored expression made her nerves want to explode out of her body and electrocute him.  
  
"I hate you," she spat, "Find another tutor."  
  
She flattened her palm and hit the front of his lumpy brow, causing the back of his head to smack against the metal locker behind him.  
  
She released him and stomped away, angry tears flowing down her cheeks.  
  
*Why couldn't I have done that in the beginning?*  
  
She felt as if a coal were burning just below her heart. No wonder Soichiro didn't like her anymore. She was always too slow to do everything. She was a horrible person. She was so naïve. She had spun her own web and now she was tangled within it. She was caught right in the middle of it. She turned and ran down the hall, flying past the open classroom doors, past the bathroom, everything. She passed through a million doors, pushing their wooded frames away from her, till she sped outside, the cold air combing its careless fingers through her strands of red.  
  
She sobbed, her aching lids overflowing with teetering tears. She padded down the sidewalk, and caught the bus just in time. She glided down the aisle and found a seat in the back and tried to keep quiet, but managed instead to disrupt all of the passengers with her pathetic sniffles. She didn't care. Arima's hurt and disbelieving eyes kept appearing in the torn and dirty pages of her mind.  
  
Still sniffling, she turned the key in the knob and pushed the door of her house open. Her sisters were on the couch in the living room, and their heads turned to face her. Yuknio closed the door behind her and leaned against it, her stringy hair hanging in front of her face. She ran a stressful hand through it, and then put her hand to her mouth. She didn't care if her sisters were right there. She wept and slid down the floor.  
  
Her sisters leapt from their seat and rushed to her, crouching down to her level. Tuski grabbed hold of Yukino's left hand and Kano grasped the other.  
  
"What's wrong, Yuki?" they asked, their voices filled with concern.  
  
Yukino wailed.  
  
"I think Arima and I have broken up."  
  
****************************************************************** Yep. That was Chapter 10. I was listening to Coldplay while writing it, and everything just flowed. Please Review. 


	11. Nostalgic Repartee

Wooo-hooo! Ok, it's Chapter 11 time!  
  
I wish I did, but I don't own Kare Kano!  
  
Oh well.  
  
Chapter 11: Nostalgic Repartee  
  
Yukino's sisters crouched down in front of her, their mouths hanging open in awe. They looked at each other in disbelief. They slowly dropped Yukino's hands and Yukino pressed her hands to her face.  
  
"You and Arima are breaking up?" Kano asked, clearly worried.  
  
"What happened?" Tsuki breathed.  
  
Yukino shook her head. Should she tell them? She sighed. A wave of longing washed over her. It had been a very long time since the three of them had really talked. She missed the days when they had been very close, playing in the garden during the summer, playing in the snow during the winter, and watching movies all year long. Since they had all gone to high school, there hadn't been any time for them to catch up and become re-acquainted with each other. Both of her sisters had been placed into class D, which meant that they were in completely different buildings at school. She had moved out of the room they shared several months ago, but right now, she almost regretted it. It was nice being alone at times, but maybe if she at least still shared a bedroom with them, she wouldn't have these terrible emotions bottled up inside of her.  
  
Yukino longed to pour her heart to her siblings, to burst into tears and tell them the whole sordid tale, to wrap her arms around the two of them and to seek comfort in Tsuki's reassuring smiles and Kano's logical advice. But she wasn't sure if they would understand. Yukino took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.  
  
What was she thinking? These were her sisters. Of course they would understand!  
  
Or, at least, they would try to. Plus, if she had been quick to tell her boyfriend (or ex-boyfriend, as the case might be) about her problems, maybe they would be in a totally different place right now. Maybe she would be filled with happiness instead of shame and depression. Maybe they would be locked in each other's arms, away on their own little planet, far from reality. Maybe she would feel wanted and safe under his gaze, instead of scared and exposed. Maybe he would still love her. A lump formed in her throat, and she choked, catching teardrops in the palm of her hand. She was crying out for their help.  
  
Her sisters were looking at her with large, innocent eyes.  
  
Tsuki and Kano took Yukino's hands again and pulled her to her feet. Yukino reluctantly obeyed, and the girls led her to the couch. They sat on either side of her, wiping her tears, brushing the hair out of her eyes and cooing soothing words into her ears. They were like mother hens. Yukino almost felt like smiling a small smile. Almost.  
  
After Tsuki had given her some tea, and Kano had put her coat and boots away, and the three had taken showers, Yukino joined the two into their room. They were already in their pajamas, though it was only the early evening. Yukino decided that she was going to sleep in their room that night. She needed their support. They had hauled their pillows and blankets to the floor so they could all sleep next to each other on the carpet. Yukino felt so cozy surrounded by her sisters and their soft belongings. The room was a place of pale pinks and blues, soft yellows and lavenders, white walls and light wooden furniture. The atmosphere was so calm and homey.  
  
Yukino took a sip of her tea, and set the cup down on the rug in front of her.  
  
"So," Tsuki began, "What is the problem between you two?"  
  
Yukino sighed heavily for the thousandth time that day and rubbed her damp, sandy hair.  
  
Where was she supposed to start, anyway?  
  
"Is it sex?" Kano asked frankly.  
  
To both Tsuki and Kano's surprise, the question didn't seem to catch Yukino off guard. Instead, Yukino took another sip of ginger tea before staring into her cup. She studied her reflection in the light brown liquid before rubbing her hair again.  
  
"Sort of," she replied slowly.  
  
Kano and Tsuki's eyes widened, and their mouths fell open. They glanced at each other, clearly impressed.  
  
They leaned in, their noses almost touching Yukino's.  
  
"What happened?" They asked eagerly.  
  
"Well," Yukino sighed. This was so embarrassing.  
  
"Well," she started again, "Do you remember that boy I was tutoring?"  
  
"Mmm-hmm," The two answered urgently, wanting to hear more.  
  
"It turned out that he was attracted to me, I guess." She paused, looking into her cup again.  
  
"Yeah, and?" Kano asked, gesturing with her hands for Yukino to go on.  
  
Still looking down, Yukino frowned bitterly.  
  
"So he made a pass at me."  
  
Tsuki gasped.  
  
"What did he do?"  
  
Yukino played with her pinky nail. She had to tell it all.  
  
"He...kinda..felt me up."  
  
She frowned. It sounded every bit as frank and vulgar as the action had really been.  
  
"Oh my gosh!" Kano looked angry.  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
"I left, and I decided not to tell Soichiro."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Kano opened her mouth.  
  
"So, what, did you like it or something?"  
  
Tsuki smacked Kano in the arm.  
  
"Kano!"  
  
Kano rubbed her stinging shoulder and shrugged.  
  
Yukino toyed with the handle of her cup.  
  
"No, I didn't like it, but that was the rumor he spread around school."  
  
Tsuki gasped again.  
  
They listened closely as Yukino continued to tell about how Arima had found out and refused to talk to her for the rest of the day. She tearfully told them about how he barely looked at her, and when he did, it was only to pierce her with his deathly glares. Her sisters nodded, their eyebrows knit closely together, and their eyes full of patience and care.  
  
Much later that night, Yukino turned in her warm blankets on the floor of Tsuki and Kano's bedroom. She thrust her arms under her white pillow and took a moment to run their conversation through her head. She gave a small smile. She loved her sisters. They were as attentive and supporting as she had hoped they would be. She closed her eyes. She was so glad that she decided to talk to her siblings. Even though they were a bit younger, they offered some very thought-provoking insight and good advice. It felt good to be exchanging ideas again. She was very surprised, after they finished discussing her situation, to hear some of their own boy troubles.  
  
Tsuki had confided, her brown eyes twinkling, that she had developed a large crush on a boy in her class who would help her clean up every day after school. It seemed apparent that they both had feelings for each other, but were much too hesitant to say anything, fearing some of the consequences that came with being in a relationship. They were both too afraid of getting hurt. Yukino's predicament made Tsuki even more reluctant to pursue her romance. Yukino didn't know what to say to Tsuki, seeing as she knew how much pain a relationship could cause, but her sister glowed so much when she talked about her crush that it didn't matter anyway. She seemed to be pretty content with their current friendship.  
  
Yukino was even more surprised to hear that her younger sister's boy troubles were somewhat more severe than Tsuki's. Kano was actually trying to start a relationship with a first-year boy, and had gone out on a few dates with him. This boy was very sweet and kind, but couldn't seem to forget his ex-girlfriend, who dumped him after she cheated on him with an older student. On top of that, Kano was competing with a more-ahem- aesthetically pleasing girl in her class, who was even more forward with her flirtations than she was, and happened to be her best friend since elementary school!  
  
Yukino shook her head.  
  
*Kids these days.*  
  
She rolled over onto her back, flinging her arms out to the side, her hand almost touching Kano, who was asleep on her right. Yukino looked to her left, where Tsuki was snoring lightly, her shoulders rising and dropping slowly. She stayed on her back for a while, her arms outstretched on either side of her, reaching toward her sisters. She was so grateful for having them with her. No matter how tumultuous her relationship with Soichiro had been lately, how unsure Tsuki's crush was, or how scandalous Kano's boy troubles became, their sisterhood would always remain the way it was.  
  
Yukino flipped over onto her stomach and snuggled deep into her many blankets, relishing in the warmth.  
  
*No matter what, we will always be there for each other.* ************************************************************************ Yeah, when having boy troubles, sometimes vegging out wit yo' girls is the best thing you can do. (besides moving on, that is..^^;;;;) Welp, did you guys like it? This was a very calm chapter, especially compared to the one before it! Anyway, please review!! Don't make me beg, now! 


	12. My Circumstance Part I

Yes!! Guess what, everybody??? This is 12!!  
  
Hope you like it and all!  
  
I do not own Kare Kano, though I wish I did!  
  
Chapter 12: My Circumstance Part I  
  
Arima Soichiro rolled over in his bed, finally inside the sanctity of his own room. He couldn't stand it. Although he had managed to give himself some time alone to think, the past couple of days had been hard. The school day yesterday had been horrible. Wherever he had gone, people were passing rumors about the school, their empty lies ripping painfully at his eardrums. He didn't understand. Why did he let this happen to Yukino? Maybe if he had asked more questions, maybe if he had objected more persistently to her new tutoring assignment, she wouldn't have gone to that guy's house, and he wouldn't have had the audacity to try and take her away from him.  
  
Yes, that was something that really made him question everything about the world outside of their relationship. Why would anyone try to tear them apart so viciously? First with an attempt to attack her, and then following up with rumors and lies. It was like a fight in a boxing ring, one blow after the other.  
  
She was so special to him, and she had done so much for him, perhaps without even knowing it herself. She invited him out of his shell, and opened the door to his emotions. He no longer had to feel so separate, so alone and confused. He had her. Everything had been perfect. Their love blossomed, and they were always able to overcome the obstacles that stood in their way. So why did other people try to take all of that away from them? He was so angry, angry for days. It had been hard having to look at Yukino during school and see her level of self-esteem drop below the floor. She looked so hurt and lost, it broke his heart and tore him down completely. Right now, he wasn't so angry at her as he was with himself. He should have taken more action to protect her and their relationship. He felt like a fool.  
  
He felt as if her were floating downward, but with no where to land, no where to plant his feet firmly and to kiss whatever would be under his feet.  
  
Arima winced. A light, joyful snowfall danced outside of his window, and it contrasted and clashed frankly with the violent torrent of emotions that had taken siege over his entire body. He couldn't stop thinking about Yukino. He felt as if there was a sort of nothingness inside of him when he was without her gentle countenance. She gave him so much joy. How did he ever survive without her? He couldn't seem to remember what the years were like before he discovered a love like hers. When they united, it was as if he had been born again.  
  
He couldn't take it anymore. He needed to see her again, and soon. He needed to tell her he was sorry for the way he was acting. He hadn't even talked to her! He knew that they needed to communicate in order to find happiness again. It was just that he needed some time alone to contemplate, to go over and analyze their relationship. He couldn't stand to look at her, knowing that he was hurting her. He simply didn't know how he was going to act if he decided to approach her. Would he tell her to leave him alone? Would he blame her for being too kind and open with her tutoring student? Would he, in his blinding confusion, accuse her of sending signals of inappropriate flirtations?  
  
And what would she do? Would she yell at him back? Would she cry? Would she break up with him and tell him she didn't love him anymore?  
  
With all of these things crowding his thoughts, he could only pretend as if he were paying attention to his schoolwork. At school, he wasn't allowed to keep his mind pre-occupied on other things, although Yukino did mean a lot more to him than his daily lessons. Why did he have to pay attention to education when other things were so much more important, anyway?  
  
A small voice deep inside of him asked him, though, that wasn't part of making Yukino happy was presenting her with a man who was smart and intelligent? Sometimes, when he wasn't really thinking straight, he felt that he could do so much more for her with his body, especially since he wasn't really all that smart. At least, he didn't think so. He had no need to slay the demons of his past with over-achieving any longer; not when he had her.  
  
He narrowed his eyes. Love really did hurt sometimes. In the middle of their union, he didn't quite understand what people meant when they said negative things about love. He had tried to, but he didn't. How could something so wonderful cause pain? Foolish people though of love as simply a physical aspect, a little dream full of music and embraces. It could be a dream, but it also had a somewhat nightmarish quality lurking behind it.  
  
He wished he could have talked to Yukino, maybe he should have visited her when she was sick. Then they would have a chance to communicate with each other, to enjoy one another's company. He ran a hand through his dark hair. He was such an idiot! That is exactly what he should have done! Then maybe, she would be with him at this very moment. His parents weren't home. Maybe he could be showing her just how much he loved her, using his lips and his hands, among other things.  
  
He frowned deeply. *But no, I couldn't do that,* he thought bitterly. *Then I would be breaking our promise.*  
  
Arima got up and walked slowly and stiffly over to his window, watching the particles of snow float and lilt toward the white, sugary earth. He sighed. It was fortunate for him that it was the weekend. He could stay locked in his room to mull and marinate in the pitiful situation that was his life. The weekend was always good to him. This weekend made last weekend seem so far away. It was confusing to think that just several days ago, Yukino was locked in his arms, shutting his brain down with her long, loving kisses.  
  
*She is so beautiful.*  
  
This week was slow and confusing, but at least he didn't have to deal with school right now. Nothing had been more hurtful as when that student of Yukino's had approached him right before class with his pocketful of lies. The bell had rung right after he had told him that Yukino was with him, now that she knew of all the things he could do to her, and had enjoyed what he had already shown her. Arima had been forced to enter the school building, forced to keep his anger locked away within the confines of his heart. That anger was released violently after school that same day. He was glad that Yukino hadn't been there to see the carnage he had caused, but inflicting pain on her student was something that he didn't regret.  
  
At the time, his jealousy had allowed him to believe the boy's idiotic lies, but after awhile, Arima concluded that it couldn't be true. Back then, Yukino had loved him.  
  
Now that he had time to himself, he was able to think and question the situation, and find his place in it all. Now that he had time to himself, he was eager to see her again, but he had to come to her in the right way, so that she would know that he wasn't feeling so peculiar anymore. He felt like begging her to love him again, despite his failure to protect her from the outside forces who couldn't understand the amount of love and joy in their relationship. He wanted to beg her permission to take her. He wanted her to know that he wanted her; needed her. To know that he wanted her to need him, too. He wanted her to know that he only wanted to please her.  
  
Mmm-Hmmmp. Sorry it was so short!! It was all I could do! And please, don't forget to review!! Chapter 13, coming soon! 


	13. My Circumstance Part II: Hers

Oh, yeah, baby! It's time for lucky 13!!  
  
Masami Tsuda didn't give me the rights to Kare Kano like she promised!! Aw, man!  
  
(Oh, and everyone! Thank you for the wonderful reviews! *tearing up* They really make me feel so much better about my writing!! Keep 'em coming!!)  
  
Chapter 13: My Circumstance Part II: Hers  
  
Yukino rolled over in her bed, back in her own room. She couldn't stand it. Though she felt better about confiding her problems to her sisters, the past couple of days had been hard. The school day yesterday had been horrible. She and her friends had gone all over the school, squelching rumors that had been flying around. Wherever whispers had been heard, her friends were there to bring them out and extinguish them. She had discontinued her tutoring with Koichi, and his grades in math mysteriously shot up to the top of the class. And instead of disdainful looks, Arima seemed to ignore her presence altogether.  
  
With all of these things on her mind, it had never occurred to her that she was at school, and should probably be focusing on her studies. But with all of these things being said about her, and with all of her emotions jumbled up inside of her, how was she going to concentrate on formulas? A voice in the back of her head kept telling her to switch brainwaves and let all of her frustrations out in her school work, but it was hard. She felt like a fool. She knew no amount of exertion could make her heart feel any lighter.  
  
Yukino frowned. Bright sunlight was streaming in through her window, and it clashed and contrasted roughly with her feelings. No amount of studying or exercise could take her mind off of her broken heart. Only Soichiro could mend it. She just couldn't get him off of her mind. She felt so empty without his smile. He caused her so much happiness; how did she ever live her life without him? She couldn't seem to remember life before she had known a love like his. When their relationship began, it was like she had been born again.  
  
She couldn't take it. It hurt so much. She could when she made him happy, and how excited she was when she realized how happy she could make him, how happy they could make each other. But she didn't know how capable she was of hurting him. This was the dark side of a relationship, the side that people rarely thought about when they started to fall in love. When people were in love, they thought of symphonies and flowers and kisses.  
  
Yukino wasn't surprised when her pillow was suddenly wet with tears. She had cried so many times. It was a good thing it was finally the weekend. She could just lie in bed and be as pathetic as she knew she was.  
  
The weekend. It was so strange that just last weekend, she and Soichiro had been so happy. She didn't forget how it felt to be that happy, and she ached to feel that way again. How could she lose him? How could she have been so careless and mistreat such a venerable man like him? She was so stupid!  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Miyazawa sat at the kitchen table, sipping on coffee and hot chocolate. They kept glancing at the doorway, waiting for their eldest daughter to come jogging into the kitchen.  
  
Yukino's mother looked up from her magazine and across the table at her husband.  
  
"Where is Yukino today?" she asked.  
  
Mr. Miyazawa frowned.  
  
"I don't know. I think she's still in bed. I don't believe she's even started her morning jog yet."  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa sighed.  
  
"I knew all that exercise mixed with the stress of school would have her exhausted someday!"  
  
Mr. Miyazawa shrugged and brought his coffee mug to his lips.  
  
"No, our Yuki has always been energetic. School and exercise never gets her down."  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa pursed her lips together in thought.  
  
"You think she's depressed?"  
  
Yukino choked out a half-whimper, half-sob. Her heart sank lower with each passing minute. She never meant to cause him such trouble, such pain. She wanted to tell him she was sorry, and how wonderful he was. She wanted to tell him that she needed him, very badly. If only she had told him the truth. It most certainly would have been better hearing it from her than some stupid second-year boy. She longed to talk to Soichiro, to explain the situation, to beg him to take her back. This was verbal abuse! Sure, she hadn't talked to Soichiro in a couple of days, but she felt that the silent treatment was just as bad as casting biting retorts at another person, if not worse. She felt so lost. How long was she going to be paying for her actions? How long was it going to be before she was happy again? She wanted him to come back to her. She wanted to start over again. She felt like she was running in circles.  
  
"This is so hard," she quavered.  
  
She felt as if she were floating in the middle of the ocean on her back, and didn't have the strength to swim back to shore.  
  
The door burst open. Kano and Tsuki were dressed for a day of shopping.  
  
"Hey, Yukino," Tsuki cried, "Do you want to go that new store that opens down the street?"  
  
"It looks really great! There's a line of people waiting to get in already!" Kano chimed in.  
  
Yukino moodily pulled the crisp, white sheets over her head.  
  
Kano looked like she was about to say something, but Tsuki put a hand on her arm to silence her. Tsuki tilted her head and smiled a compassionate smile before turning to leave.  
  
But Kano still looked angry.  
  
"If you change your mind, call me on my cell and you can meet us there," she huffed over her shoulder.  
  
Yukino heard Kano slam the door and whisper on the other side,  
  
"This is crazy! We really need to get her to go out! What's taking her so long?"  
  
Tsuki 'shh'-ed her.  
  
"Poor Yukino, we need to give her more time. She's so depressed."  
  
Yukino grimaced.  
  
*Great. Now even they think I'm pathetic.*  
  
Yukino stayed under the covers until her cheek became numb from being pressed against the edge of the mattress for so long. She rolled her eyes.  
  
*When they start to feel sorry for you is when you need to do something,* she thought glumly.  
  
Yukino tossed the covers from her head and leapt over the side of her bed. She pushed the door open, hurried down the hall, and skidded to a stop in front of the door, where Tsuki and Kano were just about to exit.  
  
"Wait," she panted, "I'll go with you."  
  
************************************************************************ Yeah, this was a depressed chapter, but things will be happy really really soon! So don't you worry! Please, please, please tell me what you think! Don't be shy! Just send me a review! Not that hard, right? Yay. ^^ 


	14. Vulnerability

Oh, my goodness....It is already Chapter 14. Yep!  
  
Enjoy!  
  
^_____~  
  
Masami Tsuda really should give me the ownership of this thing, shouldn't she? But, she didn't. Oh well. That will come in time. Mwa hahahahah!  
  
Chapter 14: Vulnerability  
  
Tsuki giggled and clasped her hands together with glee. Kano wore an expression on her face that said, "It's about time!" But she seemed happy, anyway. Yukino ran inside to find some clothes to throw on. Her sisters followed close behind her, and the three goofed off for a bit, offering Yukino underwear and bikini tops to wear over her clothes. Finally, they settled on a fitted turtleneck and a pair of snug jeans. Tsuki and Kano galloped down the hallway and out the front door, Yukino dragging her reluctant feet gloomily after them.  
  
The triplets walked step in step in the cold winter sunshine, each of them holding warm drinks topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Kano and Tsuki looked around and caught many young boys staring at the three of them, but mostly their older sister. They both silently agreed that Yukino was very beautiful indeed, with the wind tugging at her hair warm-tinted hair, the chill reddening her cheeks, and her outfit accentuating her soft figure. But she looked so sad! The entire street would be sure to light up if only she were to put a smile on her face.  
  
Kano shook her head and Tsuki rolled her eyes good-naturedly. Yukino was so oblivious to her own beauty and its plethora of effects on young males all around her. Even when a younger student had so harshly cast his lustful feelings for her out into the open, she didn't seem to believe she was in the least bit attractive anymore. Maybe it was better back when she had been the self-proclaimed ruler of vanity!  
  
Tsuki stopped suddenly and opened her hand, her cup falling to the ground, splashing whipped cream and hot chocolate syrup all over the ground. She leapt behind Yukino and hid her head behind her sister's shoulders.  
  
"Tsuki!" Kano Yelped and dabbed at the cuffs of her jeans with a thick napkin.  
  
"Tsuki whined. "What's HE doing here?!"  
  
"Who?" Yukino asked, looking around.  
  
Tsuki shut her eyes and pointed hastily in front of them. Kano squealed excitedly.  
  
A group of sixteen-year-old boys leaned against the metal benches in front of the movie theatre. In the middle of the throng was a boy of medium height with neatly combed dark hair and glasses.  
  
"Isn't that the boy you like?" Kano asked loudly. "Tomohiko?"  
  
Tsuki blushed and put a finger to her lips.  
  
"Shh," she hissed.  
  
Yukino found herself suddenly interested, and a little amused.  
  
"Who are all those boys he's with?"  
  
"Those are his friends and his brother," Tsuki mumbled.  
  
One of the boys, the one Yukino guessed was Tomohiko's older brother, tapped Tomohiko on the shoulder and waved in their direction. Tomohiko used his hands to form a cone around his mouth.  
  
"Hey, Tsukino!"  
  
Tsuki jumped stiffly from behind Yukino, and the trio marched to the front of the theatre.  
  
"Hi," Tsuki said, suddenly friendly and calm. Tsuki and Tomohiko launched into a conversation about something hilarious that happened at school the other day, something that Yukino had no knowledge of.  
  
After a short barrage of laughter, Tomohiko and his friends exchanged friendly hugs with Tsuki and Kano. Tsuki glowed as she nestled herself in his arms. Yukino gave a small smile and looked down at the floor, suddenly shy. She didn't know anyone here, and certainly didn't have anyone to hug.  
  
*Did I ever glow like that?* Yukino thought dimly. She toyed with her scarf until she felt a pair of eyes boring into the side of her head.  
  
Blushing, Tomohiko's brother looked away and dug his hands deep into his pockets. Yukino's eyes widened slightly. Had he really been looking at HER? The boy glanced upward tentatively before looking quickly down again, the redness in his face spreadibg to across his nose and to his ears. Yukino blinked, looked up toward the sky, shaking her hair in reincarnated confidence.  
  
Maybe she wasn't as pathetic as she thought.  
  
"So, what movie are you seeing?" Tsuki asked.  
  
"Some action flick, I guess. It's supposed to start later on."  
  
"Would you like to see it with us?" Tomohiko asked eagerly.  
  
"Sure," Tsuki's smile brightened. "Can we, Yuki?"  
  
Yukino winced and looked at the floor again. She didn't exactly feel like being around other people right then, except for her sisters, anyway. When she had agreed to leave with her sisters, she figured it would be a girls'-day-out of sorts. She wasn't really in the mood to try and socialize.  
  
She looked up at her sister, who was pleading with her ands clasped together, her eyes persistently beseeching for her to accept.  
  
Yukino smiled.  
  
"All right," she said.  
  
Tsuki grinned widely, and turned to skip toward the entrance of a restaurant with Tomohiko and his friends right on her heels. Yukino sighed after them. This was for her sister's sake.  
  
In a few moments, Yukino found herself standing obscurely behind the gaggle of friends. It seemed they had decided to get something to eat. She tugged at her red hair. She must not have heard them announce this decision. She didn't understand their language anyway.  
  
She decided to look around. The inside of the restaurant had cushy burgundy- colored booths and shiny cherry-wood tables. The dim lighting shone down on the smooth tile, and the walls were painted a warm coral shade. Her ears perked up as a mix of contemporary music wafted from the loudspeakers, and she lowered her shoulders, finally able to relax. In front of her, the boys and her sisters joked around, shoving each other toward the booths and authoritatively reminding one another to take a menu. Yukino slid into a large booth, wedging in between Kano and one of Tomohiko's friends.  
  
"Your sister is so pretty, Kano," Tomohiko's older brother said softly.  
  
Yukino glanced at him. Tomohiko had the same dark hair as his brother, but Tomohiko didn't have his brother's eyes. The boy sitting across the booth had honey-colored eyes, like hers. And right now, a shade of pink was settled over his face. Hers came to match his right away, and she stared at the fuzzy golden reflection of the lamplight on the table. He was addressing Kano when he said that, but he was looking right at her.  
  
It made her nervous, and she began to drum her fingers on her seat.  
  
"What about it, Ryosuke?" one of Tomohiko's brothers teased. His brother nudged him in the shoulder, and then squinted at Yukino.  
  
"You look sorta down though. What's up?"  
  
Yukino didn't say anything and gritted her teeth, trying to smile. It was none of his business, really. Who did he think he was?  
  
Kano opened her mouth, and clamped it shut when Yukino glared at her.  
  
*Don't tell,* she thought.  
  
"It must be that time of the month," Kano substituted quickly.  
  
Yukino shut her eyes tightly and shook her head violently from side to side. Her hair swung in strawberry-colored lines around her face.  
  
"No! That's not it," she said desperately, "I-I just...failed a test at school, she offered.  
  
Tomohiko's brother Ryosuke raised an eyebrow, looking slightly amused.  
  
"Really? You look like that girl whose picture was in the local newspaper a couple weeks ago for good grades."  
  
Kano opened her mouth.  
  
"Oh, that probably WAS you, Yukino!"  
  
"Yeah, it was," Ryosuke piped up, suddenly a lot less shy than before. "I remember Tomohiko showed it to me and was so excited because he knew it must have been Tsukino's sister."  
  
And with that, Tsuki and Tomo looked up at each other, abruptly turned away from each other, Tsuki anxiously tucking a thin black strand of hair behind her ear, and Tomohiko fiddling nervously with his glasses.  
  
Yukino smiled a small smile.  
  
After the group had eaten, they decided to move on, walking aimlessly around the shopping center, making observations on colorful passersby and stopping only when something called to their attention.  
  
Yukino and Ryosuke lagged at the back of the throng of second-year students and Kano, making small talk. Yukino felt as if she were a mother duck, watching her ducklings as they waddled in front of her. This was not endearing to her at all. But soon, since they were the oldest and felt they had no one else to talk to, Yukino and Ryosuke lapsed into a conversation about school, what their teachers, friends, and classes were like.  
  
"My mom actually saw your picture in the paper after Tomo showed it to me," Ryosuke said. "She ended up comparing the two of us."  
  
Yukino's eyebrows rose slightly, her interest peaked.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah." Ryosuke's features darkened a bit.  
  
"See, I was never really all that great in school."  
  
"Hmm." Yukino tapped her chin and looked up at him.  
  
Maybe she could tutor Ryosuke. He seemed nice enough, but—Yukino thought about her most recent tutoring assignment and frowned. Maybe that wasn't such a good idea. A burst of giggles snapped her out of her thoughts. Tomo and Tsuki were shoving each other playfully, and teasingly poking one another's shoulders.  
  
Yukino and Ryosuke smiled. Ryosuke leaned in sideways, cupping his warm hands around his mouth, his breath tickling her ear.  
  
"Tomo really likes your sister a lot, you know," he whispered.  
  
Yukino tried to ignore her nerves. He was so close. She slowly stepped a few inches to the left.  
  
*At least Tsuki will be excited to hear this news,* she thought, trying to be happy for her sister. It was strangely difficult to feel optimistic at that moment, with her heart meandering as it was, without a destination, without a companion to guide it.  
  
Ryosuke smiled from ear to ear, his eyes sparkling.  
  
"Hey!" he said, standing upright, "Maybe we could play Cupid and get then together. What do you say?"  
  
Yukino sweat dropped. She didn't know he was into that sort of thing! Besides, she already had way too much to deal with in her own love life, and just didn't have the willpower or the strength to deal with anyone else's. She didn't want to say no to him, but she certainly didn't want to say yes. So she laughed to cover up her negativity.  
  
The party of teenagers finally made their way to the theatre, just as the winter sun was setting. After paying for the tickets, Ryosuke paid for everyone's snacks at the concession stand, and they entered the theatre, laughing and munching on popcorn.  
  
Yukino and Ryosuke slipped into two seats, once again settled behind the rest of the group. Even through the darkness of the theatre, she coulod see Tomohiko and Tsuki tickling each other, and Tsuki smacking Tomohiko lightly on his shoulder. Yukino sank into her seat and crossed her arms, suddenly irritated—and maybe a bit jealous. Here she was, just coming off of her first relationship, it seemed, and here was Tsukino, always in the arms and eyes of such a sweet young man. And why weren't they doing anything?! All day they had been giggling and engrossing themselves into hyped conversations and doing such cute things that it aggravated her. It was so obvious that they liked each other; they might as well have been dating already!  
  
She felt Ryosuke's amber eyes on her again.  
  
"Are you alright?" Ryosuke asked carefully.  
  
Yukino looked up at him, his voice calming her down considerably. She sat up in her chair.  
  
"Yeah," she said slowly, embarrassed all of a sudden. She didn't mean to seem so cross in front of him. "I'm fine."  
  
When Yukino stepped out of the theatre, it was already very dark outside. Ryosuke stepped out from close behind her, tossing and empty soft-drink can into the trash.  
  
"So, what did you think of the movie?" he asked.  
  
Yukino nodded. "It was very good, but the love scene was really hard to watch."  
  
Ryosuke laughed.  
  
"Seriously? Why?"  
  
She didn't know why she wanted to tell him. N truth, the love scene had left her feeling somewhat depressed. Yukino's eyelids lowered.  
  
"Because I broke up with my boyfriend."  
  
"Oh, Really?" Ryosuke's voice cracked. He cleared his throat.  
  
"Really?" He repeated, trying not to sound too eager.  
  
"Mm-hmm."  
  
Yukino blew on her pink, frosted hands and stuffed them into her pockets.  
  
Ryosuke saw this, and pulled a pair of gray wool mittens out of his own pockets. He held them out in front of Yukino's face.  
  
"Want mine?" He asked.  
  
Yukino glanced at him sideways and gently took them from him. She smiled a pretty-close-mouthed smile.  
  
"Thanks," she said softly.  
  
Ryosuke looked at her for a moment and turned away, his face red and his back stiff. Yukino slipped the mittens on over her fingers.  
  
"They're warm," she said gratefully.  
  
Ryosuke's eyes turned to hers, then back to the space in front of him.  
  
Yukino giggled as the tops of the mittens, where Ryosuke's longer fingers belonged, drooped over hers.  
  
"Look," she held up her hands, "They're also way too big."  
  
Ryosuke laughed. Yukino looked up at him as they followed their gropu off the sidewalk and into the street. Yukino missed the step and plunged forward, squeezing her eyes shut.  
  
"Oh!" She braced herself for an abrupt contact with the cold, black concrete, but she never felt it. She opened one eye, and then the other.  
  
Ryosuke had his arm around her back, his hand under her right elbow, and his other hand—well, Yukino didn't want to think about where his other hand just happened to land. He didn't move it. Instead, he inched his face closer to hers.  
  
Her pulse quickened. Their faces inched forward; she didn't want to focus on the feeling of his had. She took a shallow breath.  
  
*Closer*  
  
*Closer*  
  
*Just a millimeter more, please?*  
  
*Closer*  
  
*********************************************************************** Okay, okay, so I left on a cliffy. It's a good writing tactic! Use it! LOL, but really... it does keep you on your toes, doesn't it? Please say it does, and don't forget to review!! 


	15. If Looks Could Kill

Wheeeee!! Mm-hmmmp, Chapter 15, comin' right up, with a side of angst and contemplation, and a tall glass of heartache!! (Yes, yes, I know that was really corny!) Well, here it is!  
  
Masami Tsuda, where ARE those ownership papers? *Sigh* I STILL don't own these characters!!  
  
Chapter 15: If Looks Could Kill  
  
Yukino stumbled out of the bathroom and down the hallway, wiping her face on a fuzzy terry-cloth bath towel. She collapsed on the living room couch, exhausted from all of the excitement from the night before. It had been fun, and the day spent with her sisters and their friends, though uncomfortable at first, proved to be very therapeutic.  
  
She slapped her forehead with sudden realization. She remembered the feeling of a hand placed under her elbow and another hand placed directly under chest. That was right---she had kissed Ryosuke last night! Oh goodness. Yukino's hand moved down to cover her mouth as her eyes widened slightly.  
  
She MADE OUT with a boy that she had known for less than twenty-four hours. She never thought she would do such a thing. It seemed so—careless. But it didn't feel that way. That kiss was definitely meaningful; it had to serve SOME kind of purpose!  
  
Now that she had not just met, but KISSED Ryosuke, did that mean she was over Arima? Exactly where did he stand?  
  
*Arima...*  
  
Yukino pictured his face in her mind. The gentle sway of his dark hair, swishing above his angelic eyes, his lightly tanned skin, his soft lips---but the flutter that flew just below her heart was absent. The tingle and warmth that usually formed in her stomach whenever she thought of him was gone.  
  
Yukino was distraught. Was she? No. She couldn't be. It couldn't be true. Was she out of love with him?  
  
Tsukino strolled past the living room, not even glancing at the couch where Yukino lay whispering frantically to herself. Her mind was moaning as it was racing, grabbing desperately for any type of emotion at the thought of her ex-boyfriend.  
  
Tsuki grabbed a can of tomato juice and stalked back to the living room to give Yukino a look of utter disgust. Yukino caught this glare and sat up on the couch, cocking an eyebrow.  
  
"What's up?" she asked.  
  
Tsuki pursed her lips together, frowned, and shook her head. She stepped toward the front door, pulled it open, and dropped down the steps. Yukino stood and stuck her head out the window.  
  
"Hey! Where are you going?" she called.  
  
Tsukino sulked.  
  
"I'm going out on a jog,"  
  
Yukino pouted.  
  
*What was that all about?" she thought, agitated.  
  
She shrugged and flopped back onto the couch. She had her own predicament to bitch about! She pictured Soichiro in her mind again, but no heated feelings were instilled in her. She knitted her eyebrows together. This was so depressing! She felt like a helpless child, trying foolishly to grasp at a security blanket placed on the top shelf of a twenty-foot tall linen closet! If she was not in love with Soichiro Arima, who was she in love with? She never imagined being with anyone else before in her life! She felt so empty, even emptier than the morning before.  
  
Where had her emotions gone?  
  
Yukino closed her eyes and tried to think, but her thoughts flashed back to that kiss. A flush crept up her neck.  
  
That kiss had been—she didn't know what it was, but it felt nice. She knew that much. Ryosuke wasn't Soichiro, but at least he wasn't like Koichi. No, Ryosuke was shy and sweet and nice, and---yes, he was all of those things that Koichi wasn't.  
  
But was he better than Soichiro?  
  
Yukino groaned and rolled over, falling face-down into the carpet. She whimpered and strummed at the fibers of the rug with her fingers.  
  
"Whyyyyy?" she moaned woefully.  
  
She whined and whimpered, whimpered and whined, until a clearly annoyed voice caused her to lift her face off of the floor.  
  
Kano was standing in front of her, her hands on her hips. Her lips were lifted into a disapproving smirk.  
  
"What the hell is wrong with you? You look like a dork."  
  
Yukino's eyes looked up at her, puzzled. Kano always teased her, but she was never used to this tone of voice unless they were fighting. Did she miss something? Were they in an argument of some sort?  
  
But Yukino just lay there, on her stomach, staring confused at her youngest sister. Kano rolled her eyes and stalked off.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
Yukino pursed her lips together. They were ignoring her. First Arima, and now her own sisters? What was going on?  
  
A few minutes passed, and Yukino finally got up off of the living room floor and made some breakfast. Soon, her parents awoke and praised their eldest daughter for preparing their morning meal.  
  
"Oh, wow, Yukino, this looks great!" her mother said warmly. "Thank you very much!"  
  
Mr. Miyazawa nodded proudly and approvingly.  
  
"So, Yuki, how was your outing last night?" her father asked cheerfully.  
  
Yukino froze and plastered a fake smile on her face.  
  
*Don't mention anything about school, Arima, OR Ryosuke," she commanded herself silently.  
  
"It was fun. We ate a lot and saw a movie."  
  
Her parents smiled warmly.  
  
"Good, good. "  
  
"Where is Tsuki this morning?" Her father asked.  
  
"Out on a jog," Kano called from the living room. She was reading the morning paper at the dining room table.  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa chuckled lightly.  
  
"Wow, you girls sure are following your sister's footsteps. Yukino's an excellent runner."  
  
Kano glued a sour look on her face Yukino could feel the tension through the wall that separated the living room and the kitchen. There was no laugh from Kano or even a sarcastic response of "Yeah, right."  
  
The family grew silent and Mr. Miyazawa shivered mockingly.  
  
"Wow, is it cold in here," he joked nervously, "Is there something wrong?" Yukino simply shook her head and poured more coffee for her parents. It wasn't going to be a joyful Sunday. There was a pause.  
  
"You know," Mrs. Miyazawa said sternly, "If you girls are fighting, you should let us know."  
  
Yukino shrugged.  
  
"We aren't fighting," she said quietly, though she doubted her own words for some reason. Her sisters seemed rather hostile this morning.  
  
"Then what's wrong?" her father voiced with concerned curiosity.  
  
Yukino shrugged again and said nothing.  
  
The front door closed as quickly and loudly as it had opened. Tsuki stomped to her room. Clearly, her jog hadn't released any of the tension she had been feeling when she awoke.  
  
Nope, this wasn't going to be a joyful Sunday at ALL.  
  
To Yukino, breakfast seemed to drag on and on as her parents tried and failed to provide the family with decent, attention-grabbing conversation. Tsuki still hadn't left her room, and everyone got the hint to leave her alone. She would eventually slide out of her bedroom for a hot meal.  
  
Yukino amused herself by seeing how many cups of coffee she could stand without running full-bladdered to the bathroom.  
  
By noon, she was bouncing off the walls.  
  
Since she hadn't done a morning jog in what felt like ages, she ran around the living room in her old jogging suit. She was too amused at the fact that the ankles now came halfway up her shins, and the jacket pinched around the bosom. She kicked her knees high up into the air.  
  
*What a great release of tension,* she thought exuberantly, *Coffee's even better than alcohol!*  
  
She stopped in the middle of the room to stretch. Her eyes stared blankly down the hallway.  
  
*Tsuki and Kano haven't come out of their room yet,* she realized.  
  
She stretched her arms out over her head, frowning.  
  
*Why won't they talk to me?*  
  
Yukino shook her head, auburn hair flying about her face in clean, straight lines. Oh well. If they didn't want to talk to her, she just wouldn't speak to them, either!  
  
Yukino bent over to touch her toes, thinking wryly how appealing she would look to Ryosuke right then, stretching her body in small, tight- fitting gym clothes. She giggled and felt the heat fill her cheeks.  
  
She stood up and leapt gracefully onto the couch again, placing a hand over her forehead.  
  
Maybe it was time to take a break.  
  
Yes, she still needed to think out last night's kiss! She had already come to the conclusion that she needed that kiss, but the questions still lingered. WHY did she need that kiss? How could she let this happen? How dare she do such a thing? She closed her eyes and sighed. Was she a terrible person? She shook her head. She just didn't know anymore.  
  
Yukino sat up, startled from the sound of a door opening in the hallway. She turned her head to see Kano and Tsuki turn into the kitchen together, whispering. Yukino narrowed her eyes.  
  
*They seem just a bit too chummy,* she thought suspiciously. Yes, her sisters were always, and without a doubt, best friends, but their today their friendship seemed a little more conspiratorial.  
  
They had been very secretive, and had a sort of negative energy around them. An uneasy sensation settled into the pit of her stomach. She felt that all that negative energy was directed at her, for whatever reason.  
  
Suddenly, anger filled every nook and cranny of her being. She couldn't take this anymore. She couldn't stand another loved one ignoring her.  
  
She crossed her arms over her chest, stood up, and stalked into the kitchen. Kano and Tsuki stood over the sink, getting ready to wash dishes together.  
  
Yukino opened her mouth.  
  
"I don't know what your problem is, guys," she said loudly, "but if you have a bone to pick with me, you'd better come out with it—now."  
  
The duo looked at each other and turned around to face their older sister. They stepped toward her, took an arm into each had, and dragged Yukino into their bedroom. They remembered to shut the door, so their parents wouldn't hear them.  
  
Tsuki whirled around, placing her hands on her hips. She leaned toward Yukino and glowered at her.  
  
"We saw you kissing Ryosuke," she hissed.  
  
Yukino winced. "O-oh," she croaked.  
  
Tsuki bit her lip, looking genuinely upset.  
  
"Now I'll never be with Tomohiko!" she wailed.  
  
Yukino frowned, confused.  
  
"What are you talking about?" She had never seen Tsuki so riled up before. Love sure did strange things to people.  
  
Tsuki sighed. "If you and Ryosuke started dating, wouldn't it be weird for Tomohiko and me to go out?" she snapped.  
  
Yukino nervously ran a hand through her hair.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You see?" Tsuki threw her hand up into the air. "Now we'll never get married!"  
  
Yukino smirked a little. "Excuse me?"  
  
Tsuki's cheeks turned red. Yukino couldn't tell if it was because she was angry or embarrassed.  
  
"W-well," Tsukino stammered, "Wouldn't it be odd if we got married, and our older siblings were seeing each other?" She offered feebly.  
  
"Tsuki," Yukino said calmly, "You're being irrational."  
  
"I am NOT being irrational!" Tsuki fumed. "Why did you have to kiss him anyway, huh?"  
  
"Yeah!" Kano chimed in. She had been pacing behind Tsuki for a little while. Yukino had been wondering why she chose to remain silent for so long.  
  
"I mean, we wanted you to cheer up and all, Yukino, but jeez! It's way too soon! You just met him!"  
  
All of a sudden, Yukino was no longer calm. It was time for her to turn on the defense.  
  
"You guys don't understand!" her voice was rising frantically, "You don't know what I'm going through! You don't know how lonely and vulnerable I felt!"  
  
She paused before saying the first thing that came to her mind. Tsuki and Kano stood expectantly in front of her. She looked at the floor.  
  
"I didn't know what I was doing," she said.  
  
Hmm, Hmm, Hmm. Yup! That was chapter 15!! Thanks again for the comments, everybody!! You don't know how much I appreciate it!! Get ready for Chapter 16!! 


	16. Take a Deep Breath And Hope

Hey everybody! The story isn't done YET! So keep tuning in, won't ya? Hooray! It's time for sweet sixteen! *sniff* They grow up so fast!  
  
Here we go!  
  
I don't own these characters, but for this story, they're MINE! LOL  
  
Chapter 16: Take a Deep Breath and Hope  
  
Yukino pulled her black, knee-high socks over her shins and slipped her feet into her shoes. She sighed. Well, she had been right about yesterday. It was not joyous or relaxing in the least. Her argument with her sisters had gotten them nowhere, and they spent the rest of the day not speaking. She stayed in her room for the remainder of the evening, waiting for either one of them to walk into the room as if nothing had happened, and they would forget about it, like they usually did. It was the first time they had told themselves that they weren't going to speak to each other and actually stuck with it.  
  
It had been depressing, to say the least.  
  
*Some Sunday,* Yukino thought bleakly. She was still so ashamed. Now she had to go to school—and possibly face Arima. How was she supposed to do this? Every time her mind went near the thought of ANY member of the opposite sex, it replayed images of that kiss.  
  
But really, what was that all about? She was so embarrassed. How could she have let her guard down like that? She had made a fool of herself in front of someone she barely knew. Now Ryosuke would probably think they were more than just acquaintances.  
  
She shuddered. That's exactly what Ryosuke was. An acquaintance. And she had kissed him. She—  
  
Yukino rubbed her temples slowly. She just wanted to forget that kiss ever happened, for her sanity's sake. She tensed her shoulders and took a deep breath before leaving the sanctity of her bedroom.  
  
Still walking, she squeezed her eyes shut tightly and tilted her face toward the ceiling.  
  
*Please God,* she begged silently, *Please let this be an ok week. Please.*  
  
It was unfortunate Yukino wasn't watching where she was going, because soon she was laying face down onto the carpeted hallway floor, her ankles wrapped uncomfortably in a pastel-colored throw rug. She kicked the rug off and groaned.  
  
*I swear, God, if You do this to me, I'm coming after You.*  
  
Arima hit the snooze button on his alarm clock for what seemed like the twenty-seventh time. He pushed his weary dark head through the covers and glanced at the black digital numbers. He lifted his fingers and swept messy strands of black hair out of his almond eyes to get a better look at the small, narrow screen.  
  
His eyes widened. He was late! Why didn't anyone bother to wake him up? He hopped out of bed and into his uniform slacks. He slid his shirt on over his head. Today was the day he was getting back with Yukino! He was so anxious about it, it had taken him hours just to fall asleep the night before. He exhaled slowly and smiled. Today was going to be a great day.  
  
He hurried into the large tile bathroom next to his bedroom and found the tube of toothpaste. He couldn't wait to see her. He wanted to be there to see her smile again. He scrubbed his face with warm water, suddenly ecstatic. It seemed so long since he last saw her. She was truly beautiful, both inside and out. All he could think about was how badly he wanted to see her. Yesterday felt like the longest day of his life.  
  
She sat cross-legged in her chair at the front of the classroom, fiddling anxiously with her mechanical pencil. Arima hadn't arrived at school yet. She expected to bump into him before class, but he still wasn't there. She almost expected some kind of altercation between the two of them, or maybe an awkward grunt or two, just to acknowledge each other's presence, but he was nowhere to be found. She was a bit relieved, but for the most part, Soichiro's absence was a little unnerving. He was almost never late. And now he had left her here, anticipating his arrival. She was going to be so embarrassed. What if he looked her in the eye? She would not be able to escape him, and she would have to come face to face with her impending guilt.  
  
This was all so confusing. Were they really over? If so, there shouldn't be anything wrong with her little escapade over the weekend. So why did she feel guilty?  
  
Yukino dropped her mechanical pencil to the floor. The tap of the thin plastic broke the low drone of Mr. Funbari's voice.  
  
"Sorry," Yukino mumbled to no one in particular.  
  
Mr. Funbari turned back to the chalkboard. Yukino scooted her chair backwards and hastily thrust her arm under her desk, jamming her fingers onto the hard, cold tile. She immediately sat back in her seat, cradling her index, middle, and ring fingers in her other hand. Tiny tears formed at the corners of her eyes. She bit her lip and reached for the pencil with her other hand. She was so jittery this morning!  
  
Her head turned toward the side of the classroom as the shoji door slid open. Arima stood in the doorway, tall, out of breath, and his books held in one hand. Yukino's stomach dipped down to her knees and swooped up to her chest. She quickly averted her eyes to the top of her wooden desk and barely listened as Arima softly mumbled an apology to the teacher.  
  
*Don't look at me," her mind urged,*Please, whatever you do, don't look at me!*  
  
But Yukino could feel his dark, almond-shaped eyes on her as he strolled all the way to his desk, and they continued to rest on the back of her head for the remainder of the period.  
  
She nervously played with her pencil and managed to drop it about five times during class. Her eyes had to avoid his, or else—she didn't know what she might do. Run to him maybe? Plant a passionate kiss onto those tender lips of his? His eyes didn't feel mean or angry today. They felt like Arima.  
  
Yukino felt her heart sink. Maybe Arima was in love again. Maybe he had found another girl. He was so perfect; it was plausible that once news of their problem broke out, flocks of lovesick females would offer him their affection. And among the array of girls, he was sure to find one who was much more decisive and courageous than she was.  
  
Yukino felt her bottom lip quiver violently and she covered her face with her hands. She wished she were in love. Her thoughts ran back to the weekend. She forced herself to watch as the memory of Ryosuke's kiss replayed in her mind. Ryosuke was handsome, and nice, but he hadn't been there for her over the past couple of years like Soichiro had. She didn't even know him.  
  
Soon, she found her hands getting wet, and she scrubbed roughly at her eyes. She couldn't cry here, at school. Too many people would see her. She sighed, suddenly angry with herself. All she did was cry.  
  
Arima ran a slender hand through his black tendrils and blew his bangs out of his eyes, exasperated. All day it seemed as if Yukino was trying to evade him. She had hunched over her stack of books and glided away inconspicuously whenever he came near her in the hallway, she ran to her friends to help them with homework assignments when he offered her his pen, and she suddenly needed to go to the bathroom after she sneezed and he said "Bless you."  
  
She was acting very peculiar. Arima frowned. Well, it was possible that she was angry at him about the week before. Looking back, he must have hurt her. He hadn't spoken to her in the longest time. But now that he was trying to make up, she didn't seem to want to give him a chance. Yukino wasn't cooperating, and his teachers didn't seem to be on his side, either. Every time he approached her, a teacher decided to call her up to the chalkboard to answer a question, or to discuss a possible extension on a class project. He even started to march up to her on her way to the main office when an important announcement came over the PA system. Apparently, there wasn't to be any school the next day due to repairs being done to the building.  
  
Arima sighed. But he was trying, and he wasn't going to stop. Yukino was important to him, and he wasn't going to give up now. Right now, they were in their Conversational English class, and the teacher had not entered the room yet. There was Yukino, sitting at her desk, toying with her ballpoint pen. She didn't seem to be doing anything.  
  
Arima took one step when the shoji door shot open, and the school nurse rushed in front of him. He fell over his feet.  
  
"Miyazawa Yukino!" Mrs. Midori called out, "Will you please come to the nurse's office? Your sister is in the school infirmary and would like to see you now."  
  
Arima's mouth dropped open. He regained his composure, his expression grim. She seemed awfully relived to leave him. He sighed. Why was this so difficult?  
  
Yukino rushed down the hallway after Nurse Midori, her straight, short hair blowing behind her. Her palms were sweating. It was sad to think that she was actually happy about the news of her bedridden sister. She was sure that she could sense Soichiro right behind her, advancing to her side, back there in the classroom.  
  
She wanted to be civil with him, but at the same time, she wasn't quite ready to talk to him! What would she tell him, anyway? How lonely she was without him? That was something she wanted to say, but she knew Soichiro didn't like passive women. Would she express how angry she was? Or worse, would she blurt out the episode she had at the movie theatre? She exhaled slowly through her lips. At least there was no school the next day. She wouldn't have to face him then. Jeez. Being in love was hard.  
  
Yukino stood in the doorway of the infirmary. The room was cool and white. She relaxed her shoulders. It was so serene. Lines of clean, sheeted beds stretched out in front of her to the open windows. The light, soft drapes blew in the cold breeze, and the wind danced in to brush across her face. She looked down to her left, and there was Kano. All of her was enveloped in white bed sheets, except for her head, which sported a huge red welt just below her temple.  
  
"She was hit with a basketball during gym," Mrs. Midori explained. Yukino jumped. She had forgotten she was standing beside her. Mrs. Midori tilted her head to the side and smiled.  
  
"She wanted your company." Mrs. Midori turned and sauntered next door into her office.  
  
Yukino heard a shuffling sound of feet behind her. She turned around and there stood Tomohiko and Tsukino, her arms crossed over her chest.  
  
"What're you doing here?" Tsuki hissed.  
  
Yukino glared. Why didn't she just let it go already? She glanced over Tsuki's shoulder at Tomohiko. HE was there? He came to visit his crush's sister in the infirmary? Yukino felt a strong twinge of jealousy.  
  
*How sweet,* she thought heatedly. He was a good catch.  
  
She remembered how she once had someone like that. In fact, looking at Tomohiko, with his dark hair and eyes didn't remind her of his brother, but this time, reminded her of Soichiro. Except Soichiro's hair wasn't cut the way Tomohiko's was. She almost smiled inwardly. Soichiro's hair was so delightfully messy, the way it swayed, just above those eyes of his.  
  
She shook her head, her mental picture immediately dissolving into little pixels of color. Now all that was in her mind was a depressingly empty, black background.  
  
Yukino pouted. Tsuki's love life still had the beauty of the beginning, but she herself couldn't bear to face Soichiro because she still felt so guilty about the weekend! Her jealousy rose to anger.  
  
"I'm visiting my sister, what're YOU doing here?" she asked, rather snippily.  
  
"I'm not acting like a shallow idiot, if that's what you mean," Tsuki added, just as snippily.  
  
Yukino groaned. "Will you just let it go already? It's not like I'm going to be with him!"  
  
The sisters glared at each other.  
  
Tomohiko sweat dropped. What was going on? He stepped back a few paces and decided to stand in the corner, nervously eyeing a crack in the wall.  
  
"Well, you'd better not," Tsuki bit back.  
  
"Well, you can't tell me what to do!"  
  
Yukino was furious. Love sickness could really make people act so stupidly. Why was Tsuki still mad at her? Tomohiko had followed her into the infirmary. She had her man. Who Yukino decided to date was not going to affect whether or not Tomohiko liked her.  
  
In truth, Tsukino's judgments really put a strain on Yukino's heart. Tsuki must think so low of her. Did her sister really think she was that shallow?  
  
*Well, you did kiss him, after all," a voice at the back of her head piped up.  
  
Yukino brushed the thought out of her mind and pointed a finger in Tsuki's face.  
  
"Look, I said I wasn't going to be with him, so I won't!"  
  
"Why don't you guys just say sorry already? My head hurts," a voice from the bed mumbled into the pillow.  
  
Kano rolled over and wrapped the sheets more tightly around her body. Her sisters looked down at her, and then at each other. Tsuki bit her lip and suddenly seemed aware of Tomohiko's presence standing uncomfortably in the corner.  
  
"You sure you're not going to do anything rash?" she asked, toying with her hands. Yukino nodded vigorously.  
  
"Of course not!"  
  
Tsuki glanced at her tentatively.  
  
"'Cause, you know--" she hesitated.  
  
"--I really care about you and the decisions you make," she continued.  
  
Yukino's eyebrows lifted, concerned.  
  
Tsuki fixed a pained expression on her face.  
  
"I mean, come on, Yukino! You just met him!" she whined, and took Yukino's hand in hers.  
  
"I just don't want you to get hurt even more."  
  
Yukino's mouth pulled downward into a confused frown. Tsuki sighed, trying desperately to get her feelings across to her older sister.  
  
"I-It kinda disappointed me when I saw you two. It surprised me. I never thought you'd do that."  
  
Yukino swallowed and bit her lip, allowing Tsuki to continue.  
  
"I mean, you're my big sister. You always were an emblem of class and composure. You and Arima both."  
  
Yukino felt so light from her sister's words. She sighed. Why didn't she just explain this in the first place? She would have been sure to understand. Yukino blinked.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said, and locked Tsuki into an embrace.  
  
"Good," Kano yawned.  
  
Tsuki laughed good-naturedly. The sisters released each other, and Tomohiko rose from his corner, confused yet relieved. The three of them smiled and began to fawn over Kano and her large, red welt.  
  
Arima dragged his feet down the empty hallway, feeling tired and defeated. Kendo practice was over, and he still hadn't spoken with Yukino. Practice was always challenging, but it was especially hard to concentrate knowing that he still hadn't accomplished anything. He sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead, exhausted.  
  
Maybe school wasn't the best place to make up. It was too much of a busy place for him to express how he truly felt, and it was too crowded for Yukino and him to find a moment's peace to really talk. Just going up to her during class wasn't enough. He had to do something special for such a special woman. But when?  
  
Yukino sat on the floor of Kano and Tsuki's bedroom floor, notes and textbooks stretched out in front of her. Since there was to be no school the next day, the teachers had piled on the homework. She pushed her reading glasses up on her nose. For the past fifteen minutes, she had picked up her pen, put it down, and picked it up again. Here was all this work in front of her, but her thoughts kept interrupting.  
  
This morning, she had done her best to stay out of Soichiro's range of view, but it was not because she hated him or anything. She could never hate Soichiro. It was just that she felt so guilty about the weekend. But why? Her feelings for Soichiro had stopped for just a moment, but seeing him at school, just being under his presence again brought on old feelings to hit her on the side of the head.  
  
While her family flitted about around her, minding their own business, she was just sort of isolated, in her own little world. It was odd. She was in a totally different place.  
  
She would go into this kind of trance, where she would imagine herself with Soichiro. With Soichiro, her head was tilted to the side, her neck bared for him to kiss it as many times as he pleased. She wanted him to.  
  
Sitting on the bedroom floor, in the real world, she would hug herself, placing her hand softly on the side of her neck, and tracing her fingers up and down, imitating his lips. This is where she wanted his hands and lips to be.  
  
And then she would feel so fragile and weak, and she would imagine him kissing her some more. She found it odd that her memories of Ryosuke never broke in to rudely halt the things that Dream Yukino and Dream Soichiro were doing in her brain.  
  
She contemplated this for a while, and came to the conclusion that on that day, Ryosuke was just an outlet. He was just—there. She had been right when she thought that kiss meant something. It had indeed. She had poured her sadness and her troubles into that kiss—just not her heart. She had confused it for something more, but now she realized that Ryosuke was a sort of medicine that brought someone to health, or that extra bit of reading a student did to ace a class.  
  
As shallow as it seemed, it was the truth. Just like these things, Ryosuke was the step to her realizing just how much she loved Soichiro.  
  
And she loved Soichiro a great deal.  
  
She wished desperately that the scenes in her brain were projected into reality. She hoped for it. She hungered for it.  
  
She stared aimlessly out of the bedroom window and was glad that she was alone at that moment, with nobody to ask her what she was thinking. The quiet slideshow in her head was private. She liked her imaginative haven.  
  
She continued to watch the environment outside as it became accumulated with soft, powdery snow.  
  
It looked as if there was going to be a blizzard.  
  
******************************************************************  
  
So, did you guys like it? Don't forget to drop me a line! Chapter 17, you're on deck! 


	17. I'll Never Let You Go

Well, here we are, Chapter 17. Sorry it took so long! I just wanted it to be perfect for all of you guys! I think you'll like it! ^____~  
  
Disclamer: Nope-don't own it, and never will. Oh, and let this be a reminder to you guys---THIS STORY IS RATED-R FOR GOOD REASON! So let's get on with the show!  
  
****************************************************************** Chapter 17: I'll Never Let You Go  
  
Yukino's head turned toward the living room window. Last night's blizzard seemed to have covered everything in knee-deep snow. Rolling mounds of gracious white decorated the sleepy neighborhood streets and sidewalks, and delicious flakes of fluffy powdered sugar-snow danced from the pure, cloudy sky. The flakes piled warningly on top of the monstrous scoops of plain vanilla ice cream that sat outside. Just turning her expressive eyes toward all the white blinded her senses.  
  
It actually looked a bit scary out there.  
  
Anyone could slip and fall, she mused worryingly, or perhaps become buried under the snow, trapped under it for days without anyone finding them.  
  
Being alone in the house always allowed her to sink into that crazy little world of hers, to imagine hypothetical little situations that never ceased to entertain her.  
  
She told her parents and her sisters that they shouldn't have gone to see the play at the park theatre, but her father seemed excited at the adventurous prospect of trekking through the snow with his wife and daughters, and his mind was made up.  
  
Yukino, however, wasn't too pleased with the idea, and insisted that she stay home and finish the tedious load of school work that the teachers had forced upon the students during the long weekend. Despite all the textbooks and notebook paper that stayed packed on top of each other in a high tower in her room, she stayed where she was seated, on the plump couch cushions in her quiet, serene living room.  
  
She crossed her legs on the living room couch, a magazine stretched out across her lap. She turned a page and tried to read, but it seemed as if she still couldn't concentrate on anything.  
  
She stared out of the window and cringed. She was glad to be inside. The frost that framed the window created a perfect picture of "cold".  
  
It looked like the illustration in a children's book—a warm, foggy pane of glass, outlined with beautiful borders of frosted carvings, framing the white outdoors.  
  
She tilted her head as she watched the Mochida children from across the street waddle into a mound of soft snow. It seemed as if her family wasn't the only group of people who were feeling adventurous today.  
  
She looked down at herself and chuckled softly.  
  
Here she was, in her warm house, only wearing an oversized gray cotton t- shirt, and everyone who had dared to venture outdoors was bundled up into so many layers of warm winter wear, they looked like plump, unidentified logs of wool and fur.  
  
It was good to be inside today.  
  
She smiled softly, stretching her ballerina arms up above her strawberry- colored head, and collapsed gracefully onto her side, her body cuddling into the soft fabric of the couch. She nuzzled her head into the collar of her cool shirt. It smelled so lightly of clean cotton and breezy laundry detergent.  
  
It was so quiet. It felt so nice to be alone in the house, even if it was a little lonely on such a silent, snowy morning. She could do whatever she wanted while her family was gone, and even though she told them she wanted to get a head-start on some nasty math problems, she could just stay in the living room and sleep, and no one would be the wiser.  
  
She rolled over on her back, curving her shoulder blades over the soft shape of the cushions, the stretching motion of her smooth, clean back creating a gentle massage.  
  
Yukino rolled onto her side again, stretching her legs out beneath her, her soft skin shrugging against the refreshingly cool fabric. She buried her face into red wisps of shimmering hair, which had formed into a messy sunburst around her sleepy head.  
  
She snuggled more deeply into the couch cushions and closed her eyes, relishing in the cozy warmth. She smiled and a happy little noise escaped her lips. This was heaven!  
  
She stayed silent for a few seconds, savoring in her little indulgence of repose.  
  
Her nerves jolted when she found that her comfort was broken by the annoyingly rude chime of the doorbell.  
  
Yukino groaned. Her family was back. She told them they shouldn't have tried to go out! Did the car break down or something?  
  
She reluctantly rose from her comfy nook and jogged to the front door. She swiftly pulled it open, an expression of annoyance plastered on her face.  
  
Her stomach practically fell out of her body.  
  
Against the blinding whiteness of the snow, a gigantic array of vivid red roses popped out at her.  
  
Her lips parted as a sharp intake of cold winter air sucked into her lungs. They were absolutely gorgeous! The sight was surreal, but what was even more delightfully amazing was who it was that held the large bouquet in front of her face.  
  
Soichiro Arima was standing shin-deep in sugary snow, his dark, raven-black hair sprinkled with light clumps of melting flakes. He was wrapped in a dark winter coat, but Yukino could still see the tall, strong frame that lay beneath it. His ears were flushed with the cold, and he licked his lips shyly, his dark brown eyes boring into hers. They were filled with loving, but pleading inquiry.  
  
Yukino touched her lips and smiled softly. A million thoughts ran like a furious slideshow in her brain.  
  
Was this a dream?  
  
How did he get to her house through all of the snow?  
  
The snow! He must be cold!  
  
Yukino squeaked softly.  
  
"C-Come in,"  
  
Arima stamped his shoes on the step, and slowly moved into the house. He stood in front of Yukino.  
  
He lowered his dark head, but looked her straight in the eyes.  
  
Yukino couldn't help but look back. His eyes broke her heart. They looked so concerned, so caring. So lonely.  
  
"Yukino," He said softly.  
  
Her heart melted as he gingerly held the bouquet out to her. She blinked. With shivering hands, she took the roses and buried her nose into them. She inhaled the fresh aroma, and its natural scent reminded her of spring. She closed her eyes and sighed softly.  
  
The smell of spring made her think of the spring before, last year, while they were still in their second year of high school. That was back when things were so much easier, back when they were so—together.  
  
She could still feel Soichiro's eyes on her. She could also feel the intense flood of emotions that flowed so freely from them, and she felt almost compelled to gaze up at him again.  
  
What was he thinking? It seemed as if there was so much space between them. It was uncomfortable, in a sense.  
  
She looked at him tentatively, wondering randomly if he wanted some hot chocolate. She needed to get her mind off of the many impractical emotions that threatened to burst out of her body. She needn't make a fool of herself. He must be cold. Maybe she could put some marshmallows in for him, just like he had done for her.  
  
Despite the practical will that tried to pull her back to reasoning, the tips of her ears felt slightly warm as she thought back to the last time she had enjoyed hot chocolate and marshmallows with him.  
  
She toyed with her fingers and proceeded to stare at the floor, trying to count the pink embroidered flowers in the throw rug.  
  
That evening, she recounted, she had slept in his bed, feeling the intimacy of his pillows and sheets. She remembered how his delicious scent had driven her crazy, and how she could barely fall asleep.  
  
And now, she couldn't believe he was here!  
  
Being under the presence of a man like him was amazing. No—not a man like him—just him. Being under his presence was amazing. It was as if there was nothing else; just the two of them.  
  
Yukino stared up at him again, and the sincerity of his gaze caught her off guard. He seemed so confident and unsure at the same time.  
  
They stood there for a while, both not daring to move until slowly, tentatively, he slid his hands around her soft, small waist, and bent his neck downward. She held her breath as his nose touched hers.  
  
He was so close.  
  
Yukino's eyelids drooped, and she lifted her lips to his, and gracefully wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
His kiss deepened, and Yukino could feel herself slowly becoming weaker.  
  
Her knees felt ready to give way, and a shaky murmur escaped from her lips.  
  
Her fingers let loose of the bouquet of roses, causing each blushing blossom and each graceful stem to fall to the floor, a shattering of red petals splashing across the cream-colored carpet, and encircling their feet.  
  
Was this real? It was still early in the morning, maybe she was in bed, dreaming.  
  
*In bed--*  
  
Yukino's nose grew warm against Soichiro's.  
  
Dreaming, she realized with a throb, wasn't the only thing they could do in bed.  
  
Yukino's attention was placed solely on wherever he touched her. Her lips and her hips were the only parts of her simply because his lips were touching hers, and his hands increased more pressure onto the sides of her.  
  
He could feel the soft heat from her body through the thin piece of gray clothing.  
  
Soichiro moved his hand up and down the shirt, wrinkling it softly. The shirt seemed very familiar. He felt the fabric and laughed softly.  
  
Yukino released his mouth, embarrassed.  
  
"What is it?" She asked, a little surprised. Did she do something wrong?  
  
She cursed herself silently. Of course she had done something wrong!  
  
So much had happened between the two of them in such a short amount of time, and here she was, kissing him in front of her living room as if nothing had occurred!  
  
Soichiro pointed down at her, slightly amused.  
  
"Is that my shirt?"  
  
Yukino looked down at herself and pulled the hem out so she could get a better view. She giggled bashfully, relieved that he wasn't acknowledging the horribly tumultuous past few days.  
  
"Yeah," she said quietly, "I guess I forgot to give it back to you, after that day."  
  
Soichiro blushed and gave a tiny nod.  
  
He knew what 'day' she was referring to. He remembered that day. It was after their playful snowball fight. Things had gotten a little—hotter—that day. He remembered how he had almost lost control. Thinking back, he didn't know how he could have stopped himself. He ran a strong hand through his hair.  
  
She turned her back to him, blushing. His fingers in his hair had averted her attention to it, and she realized it looked damp from the snow outside. It looked, well—it looked—she allowed her thoughts to trail off feebly.  
  
The sight of him was mesmerizing. She couldn't wait until he would allow her to run her own slender fingers through the soft, wet tendrils.  
  
"Do you want it?" she asked, still facing away from him.  
  
Soichiro's eyes widened slightly.  
  
The boil of his blood pounded slowly to a low bubble as he realized she was talking about his gray shirt.  
  
But before he could calm down enough to tell her it was okay to keep the shirt, she turned around and ripped it up over her head. Her smooth strands of tinted red swung down from the collar, brushing against her dainty, rounded shoulders.  
  
His lips parted in awe as he stared at her bare back.  
  
There were no straps indicating that she was wearing any sort of undergarment on the top of her.  
  
He watched as her shoulder blades glided apart as she crossed her arms to cover herself.  
  
Soichiro tightened his slender fingers into a fist as he silently fought the urge to rush over and run his hands up and down her promising skin. He swallowed the lump in his throat and willed himself not to lose control.  
  
Yukino stood in her underwear bottoms, her face pink. She ran her fingers through her hair, her back still facing him. She looked at the floor, and crossed her arms across her chest. Why didn't he say anything?  
  
She was surprised to find herself falling violently to the floor and onto her stomach, the wind completely knocked out of her. She gasped for air, and looked over her shoulder at her boyfriend.  
  
H-He had tackled her!  
  
"S-Soichiro—"she breathed, startled. What was he doing?!  
  
Soichiro smiled from ear to ear. He dug his fingers into her sides, and began to tickle her mercilessly.  
  
"O-Oh, my gosh!"  
  
Yukino wriggled, peals of laughter bubbling up from her throat. This was fun!  
  
She fought softly and writhed on the carpet, the fibers sweeping against her crossed arms.  
  
"Oh, my gosh!" She repeated, giggling loudly. This was insane!  
  
"What are you doing? S-Stop!" she begged between good-natured guffaws.  
  
She chuckled and tittered, giggled and puffed, until Soichiro surprised her again by athletically slinging her over his shoulder and moving patiently down the hallway. She laughed cutely.  
  
When they reached her bedroom, all was quiet again. All of a sudden, they both understood.  
  
Soichiro gently laid her on her back, his strong arms gingerly supporting her until she was stretched comfortably on the bed.  
  
Her sheets felt so cool and silky against her naked back, and she gave a small, contented sigh.  
  
She was so aware of everything about her body.  
  
She was aware of the amount of skin she was exposing. She was aware of every organ, every sensation.  
  
Her senses heightened twenty-fold.  
  
She was aware of the pounding of her heart, of her quickening pulse.  
  
But most of all, she was aware of Soichiro's overwhelming presence.  
  
He kneeled over her, his knees on either side of her hips, straddling her.  
  
Yukino looked up at him wordlessly. His face was so serious.  
  
Her breath caught in her throat as she continued to melt under his countenance.  
  
Soichiro slowly took off his coat, one lightly tanned arm at a time, his eyes still fixed on hers. Yukino took a deep breath, her gaze unable to be torn away from his. The expression on his face was hard to read, but intense.  
  
He flung the coat to the floor and leaned over her.  
  
Her lips parted, and he brought his face to hers, softly pressing his lips against her mouth. He took advantage of their parted state and gingerly placed his tongue between them, breathing life into her.  
  
Yukino whimpered softly. It was almost as if she had forgotten how soft his lips really were. She drank in his kiss, slightly aware that her arms were still crossed over her chest. He nibbled and pulled lightly on her bottom lip.  
  
Soichiro continued to kiss her, their lips tingling with sensitivity, his frame still bent over hers. Their torsos still hadn't touched. He ran his fingers affectionately through her hair, and massaged her lips with his, creating variety by slipping his doting tongue into her mouth every now and then.  
  
Yukino could feel herself unraveling strand by strand, her arms relaxing against her chest.  
  
It had been so long.  
  
Soichiro took his lips away, and soon also became aware that she was covering herself. He slowly took her wrists and gently lifted her arms off of her. Yukino closed her eyes and bashfully turned her head to the side, nervously biting her lip.  
  
Soichiro remained still. Yukino opened one eye, then the other, and turned her face toward his.  
  
She was surprised to see that his face had softened considerably. A surge of heat violently pushed itself through the core of her body as she realized that he was in an awed trance—at the mere sight of her.  
  
The tint of red in her cheeks became more obvious as he lifted his eyes from her body and stopped them on hers.  
  
She was so beautiful.  
  
"Yukino," he breathed, and he kissed her hotly.  
  
Never before had he kissed her this passionately. His lips sunk into hers and his hands grasped around her shoulders, holding her tightly. Yukino's head swam as Arima worked his soft lips professionally, if kissing were a profession, leaving her breathless.  
  
He brought himself up again and grabbed hold onto the back of his shirt, pulling the collar up over his head.  
  
Yukino watched, mesmerized, and his shirt slipped and rippled up over his washboard stomach. He removed the shirt completely, and the fabric dishelveled his raven-black hair so cutely.  
  
She blushed shyly as she looked him up and down, internally noting what the past couple of years of kendo practice had done to his chest and arms.  
  
She blinked, amazed. It was like he was chisled into a lean model of Michelangelo's "David". There was so much skin to be seen. He was so handsome, so amazing.  
  
She loved him, and only him.  
  
He was her everything.  
  
Soichiro lay on top of her, his chest pressing onto hers.  
  
Feeling her soft, delectable skin on his was the most amazing thing he could ever experience. He could feel everything against his body. She was so supple and warm. She was his.  
  
Yukino had never felt so wanted, so beautiful. Arima kissed the corners or her mouth, and then her rosy cheeks.  
  
He reached under him and unbuttoned his dark jeans.  
  
Yukino's head was spinning. Soichiro ran fervent kisses along her soft, fragile neck and slid his fingers over her collarbone, tickling her senses. He kissed all over her chest, avoiding the points of her breasts, cruelly teasing her. Yukino whimpered as he kissed the base of her neck. Her body trembled when his warm breath reached out and caressed between her mounds, turning the white skin between it a baby pink. He was taking things far too slowly!  
  
His mouth pressed against hers, and she dizzily kissed him back. His lips were so soft. Her heart was beating so fast.  
  
Yukino reddened as his fingers then traced the smooth line of her jaw. She could feel his presence so strongly around her. He was every where, his lips and his hands. The passion and the want churned violently inside of her. His name resounded throughout her mind, his touch throughout her veins.  
  
Yukino's stomach tightened as Soichiro's hand strayed from her collarbone and slid downward to her chest. He quickly found her firm tenderness and squeezed ever so softly, feeling the nipple press into the palm of his hand.  
  
Yukino's eyebrows lifted and knitted together as she trembled under his touch. Her cheeks reddened and she moaned softly.  
  
His other hand reached even lower and stoked the smooth skin under her navel.  
  
He brought his mouth to her right shoulder and kissed it sweetly, following his lips with a warm sweep of the tongue.  
  
Yukino's hips tensed.  
  
Was he aware of the insanity he was driving her to?  
  
His hands continued to massage her, and her mind tried to will the fingers that were on her stomach to travel a little lower.  
  
*So warm.*  
  
Her hands were very responsive to his, and she ran her them between their heated bodies, running her gentle fingers up and down his firm chest, and across his toned arms.  
  
Yukino was surprised when her ears caught the low growl that reverberated from his lips. Answering her touch, he grasped both of her breasts, his fingers bringing her slowly to madness, their gentle torture mercilessly hardening her center.  
  
A series of pleading moans escaped her throat. She could feel him hardening against her thighs. The knowledge of the profound effects she was having on his body nearly consumed her brain.  
  
She wanted him so badly. It had been so long!  
  
She reached downward and touched the ruby-red tip of him and watched as his almond eyes narrowed, glistening. She traced the length of him and stroked with her fingers, raising her hips closer to his. She could feel him rising, growing warmer and more erect. The wisps of black hair that draped over his eyes swayed as he threw his head to the side and exhaled sharply.  
  
He slowly reached under him and lightly grasped her slender wrist.  
  
"Yukino," he breathed.  
  
He gently took her wrist and brought her arm over her head, grabbed her other hand, which was placed on his side, and stretched it over her head to join the other, her breasts gathering into perfect handfuls.  
  
Yukino whimpered. She needed him; couldn't he see that?  
  
With one hand, he held her wrists captive. With the other, he palmed her breast slowly.  
  
He lowered his head to her chest and placed his mouth over it, tantalizing the hard piece of flesh.  
  
Yukino lay still as the feeling rocked her body, moans rising from her lips.  
  
Soichiro, still loving her with his mouth, released her wrists, and she immediately brought her hands to his body.  
  
Suddenly, his lips were everywhere, devouring her. He refused to let go of her chest and tightened his hold, and massaged her with his skillful fingers, causing her to let out a series of whimpering breaths.  
  
He littered her stomach with kisses and pressed his lips between her breasts before moving his mouth to the side. Yukino exclaimed more violently as he darted his tongue at her coral tips. He licked, the tip of his tongue moving in small circles, the sensation coiling around her within a tight grasp.  
  
Her breathing became shallow, more urgent.  
  
Her hands desperately tried to keep up with his, grasping frantically at his lower back. "Soichiro--!" she called.  
  
He looked into her eyes, his eyelids drooping, and he kissed her more fully on the mouth, teasing her nipples with his fingertips.  
  
*Mmm--*  
  
Her lips vibrated as she moaned into his mouth. He groaned and moved his mouth back down to her chest.  
  
She gasped in joyous appreciation. His tongue felt so good against her.  
  
All she could think about was him. He was so special to her, and the way he touched her made her feel so important to him. He was so gentle with her, so careful. She could tell that he treasured her.  
  
The thought filled her heart, and she found it bursting with joy. Her whole body throbbed.  
  
Soichiro never stopped; he caressed her and kissed her, and licked her and held her. Her eyebrows lifted and knitted together, the pink flush increasing in her cheeks.  
  
He played with the elastic waistband of her underwear before gently and slowly slipping them downward off of her body.  
  
Yukino wriggled out of the little piece of covering. He was taking too long!  
  
This was truly heaven. His name resounded in her mind, echoing off the walls of her brain. She didn't want him to stop.  
  
Every second of his loving brought her to new heights. She didn't remember their first time ever being like this!  
  
"When—when did—you get so—so WONDERFUL—with this?" she panted.  
  
Soichiro smiled weakly at her, his eyes sweltering.  
  
Yukino wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her.  
  
*His lips--*  
  
He kissed her neck, reached downward and lifted one of her shapely legs, opening her to him. He looked at her lovingly and smiled, tucking a shiny strand of strawberry hair behind her ear. She smiled softly, her ears turning red at his touch.  
  
He lowered his head all the way down to her hips, gently kissing the inside of her warm thigh.  
  
Yukino gasped sharply, and closed her eyes.  
  
It was mind-boggling how just a few caresses of his strategically placed hands, the soft butterfly kisses of his lips, and a few warm sweeps from his tongue could bring her body to the brink of unnameable joy.  
  
She moaned softly and tangled her pink fingers into his dark raven-black hair, her head rolling back onto her pillow. Her hair spread out into a red sunburst around her face.  
  
*His tongue--*  
  
Soichiro lowered his head even more, licking the crease of her inner thigh.  
  
Yukino's lips stretched as she let out a tiny moan, her mind begging for him to move his head just little more to the side.  
  
Soichiro went to work, kissing and nibbling on the soft pocket of flesh.  
  
Damn.  
  
Yukino's breath came in gasps, and she lifted her hips to his mouth. This allowed him to slide his hands under her, moving his hands up and down the bottom of her.  
  
Yukino groaned more urgently. She quivered and her gasps grew more intense as he reached out with one hand and placed it on her left breast.  
  
He felt her body tense, and then relax, coming to terms with the ecstasy that threatened to capture her even more completely.  
  
She whimpered as one of his hands continued to massage her nether cheek and the other rubbed at her chest. All the while, he continued to kiss her betwixt her thighs.  
  
*His hands--*  
  
She was pink all over, her lips silently forming inaudible praises as she shook her head softly from side to side.  
  
Chaos infiltrated her very being.  
  
She couldn't believe the sensations that rolled all over her skin. Her head swam.  
  
Yukino arched her back, moved against his mouth, wriggling—anything to get more of the gush of sensation that crashed down upon her.  
  
Soichiro grasped the bottom of her more tightly, forcing her to remain still; allowing her to feel every moist sweep of his tongue as it rolled deeper.  
  
Yukino shivered and cried out, her breath coming in gasps.  
  
Soichiro then rose his face to hers, watching her as her breathing became more and more erratic. It was time to slow down again, bringing her slowly back from the brink of extreme pleasure.  
  
"Yukino—"he said, his voice sounding startlingly vulnerable. She slowly opened her eyes and gazed affectionately into his face.  
  
"I love you," he choked. His eyes sparkled. She was his life.  
  
Emotion etched into her eyes, Yukino sighed happily and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders.  
  
"I love you too, Soichiro."  
  
He pulled her toward him more tightly, breathing in the aroma of her lightly tinted hair. He brought his mouth to her neck, and continued where he left off.  
  
Yukino's mind drifted away as Soichiro nibbled softly at her ears, her face darkening. Her thoughts took her someplace else. She had to say something. This was crazy! How could they be doing this when so much was left unresolved?  
  
Soichiro looked at her then, an endearing smile in his almond eyes.  
  
Yukino's heart soared. He did love her, after all. And she loved him back. It was all that mattered.  
  
She wanted him to know that he set her heart ablaze.  
  
She rubbed her hands up and down his back, her fingers massaging every toned muscle.  
  
"I love you. You are my one and only," she breathed and gazed hotly into his face. Soichiro smiled dizzily, and lowered his lips onto her cheeks, kissing her softly.  
  
His body temperature was white-hot, little explosions of desire burning in his almond-shaped eyes.  
  
"Yukino," he whispered thickly, "Are you ready?"  
  
His voice was low and deep.  
  
A rush of passion coursed through her veins, her lips trembling slightly.  
  
Yukino's cheeks turned crimson as she nodded wordlessly, unable to tear her eyes away from his.  
  
He lifted Yukino's shapely leg again, and felt between her knees.  
  
His arm went around the small of her back. His muscles were so lean and hard. She could feel her thoughts dampening.  
  
Heat rose from her toes to her face. This was too much.  
  
His hand palmed her breasts again.  
  
*So—good--*  
  
Her breathing intensified, and Soichiro moaned as her fingers stroked around his navel.  
  
Her toes pointed and stretched with pleasure.  
  
A tremor of want teasingly blew over every fiber of her, and she gasped with need.  
  
He kissed her all over, and tasted her, slowly sinking his hips downward onto hers.  
  
Her mind was going crazy.  
  
He bent his face to taste her sensual flavor again. Yukino shivered at the warm contact of his mouth.  
  
Her brain tingled as flames of desire engulfed her being.  
  
Did he know the sensations he was exacting so precisely from her body?  
  
Heat radiated from him and their body heat came together and rose.  
  
Soichiro lifted his head from her breast and blinked into her eyes, his gaze blazing, obliterating her very soul.  
  
"S-Soichiro—"she mouthed softly. It seemed that she had lost her voice. A look like that from him would do that to her every time.  
  
"P-Please," she whispered, "Don't stop."  
  
Her pulse quickened.  
  
His eyes twinkled fiercely.  
  
"Never," he agreed.  
  
Yukino gasped as he urged himself into her.  
  
Her breath quickened. He groaned.  
  
All she could think of was how much he filled her, reaching every part of her, touching her spirit.  
  
He looked into her honey-colored eyes.  
  
"Are you ok?" he asked softly.  
  
Yukino panted and nodded, her heart fluttering in an increasingly frenzied state.  
  
Soichiro's face softened.  
  
"Because, Yukino---I only want to please you."  
  
He said it so enticingly, and the throbbing in her body set to quaking.  
  
Yukino's eyes filled with tears and she captured his mouth with hers.  
  
Her blood was boiling.  
  
"Oh-h--!"  
  
His hands were everywhere, gliding mercilessly over her soft, snow-white skin. How could anything feel so wonderful?  
  
She was losing it, losing everything, little by little. But she didn't care; she didn't care about anything.  
  
Her fingers grasped the white sheets around her, pulling them into tight wrinkles, gathering their smoothness in the palm of her hands.  
  
All she cared about was this moment.  
  
Pulsing, throbbing, trembling, quivering desire mounted in the both of them as their hips met, parted, and met again in a fire of pulsating passion.  
  
Suppressed emotions were released as his tan, peachy skin met with her pink smooth body.  
  
Yukino wrapped her arms around him and pressed her body even closer to his, their flesh burning.  
  
He felt so amazing!  
  
"Mmm," she moaned breathlessly.  
  
She curled her body to his, feeling every trembling muscle. She was soaring to the highest point above the clouds.  
  
Her skin glistened as the motion of their hips paced faster.  
  
Her mind melted, and she could barely notice the marathon of moans that ravaged her throat.  
  
The passion built. She couldn't take much more of this! She threw her head back, her lips outstretched, as gasps and pants flew from her mouth.  
  
She thrust her fingers behind his head, delving her fingers into the damp black locks at the nape of her neck, drawing his strands into a tight fist.  
  
Oh, God.  
  
Soichiro plugged on, his hips pumping harder and harder, his emotions ricocheting against every wall.  
  
It felt so good it almost hurt.  
  
"Soichiro--!" Yukino moaned loudly.  
  
She listened as he groaned, his sounds adding fuel to her fire.  
  
"Oh, I'm so close, so close," she whispered breathlessly.  
  
His mouth traveled, trying to suppress the moans that escaped him. He licked and tasted her sweet moist skin.  
  
Yukino buried her face into the lean pack of muscle that was his shoulder. She was so hot. She didn't know whether to ask him to stop or to let the sensations storm over her body. The ache in her was so intense.  
  
She threw her head back again, her fire tinted hair flitting about her reddened cheeks. Her breasts swung as she ground her hips more forcefully against his.  
  
Soichiro closed his eyes and moaned.  
  
Oh, Christ.  
  
Soichiro's hips increased their pace and pressure again, grinding harder and harder.  
  
The consuming mixture of pain and elation was indescribingly overwhelming.  
  
They felt themselves slipping away faster than ever, and Yukino smothered her labored sounds in Soichiro's strong shoulder, grasping his arms more tightly.  
  
Immense Ecstasy flooded into them as they felt themselves go over the edge, falling helplessy into white-hot pleasure.  
  
They mounted together and their climax came, held, sent them shivering and crying, and left them despite their silent wishes.  
  
Soichiro collapsed into Yukino's arms, and she wrapped tightly around him whispering numerous "I love you's" into his ear.  
  
Soichiro sighed and ran his gentle fingers through her hair and kissed her temple.  
  
They lay together, satisfied both emotionally and physically as the effects of their passions washed over them, elatedness and a profound exhaustion smoothed upon them like a loving tide.  
  
Yukino sighed happily. Ironically, their broken promise to each other made her feel as if a huge weight was lifted off of her shoulders. Gone was the tension of the week, along with pent-up emotions and physical want.  
  
She felt so special, so beautiful, so worthy of him. It was everything she had ever dreamed of, and more. The love they made and shared would never be erased.  
  
Yukino listened and waited until their breathing slowed. She struggled to get up and Soichiro groaned in protest, smothering his face into her hair.  
  
"Soichiro—"she said, stroking his hair affectionately.  
  
She had to get up; she had no idea when her family would be back.  
  
"I won't let you go," he said adamantly, "Never."  
  
Yukino sighed. She felt as if she would explode with the overwhelming joy that had settled over her heart.  
  
Yukino smiled and kissed the top of his head.  
  
Her heart melted as he buried his face into her chest, daring her to refuse him.  
  
"I know."  
  
The End  
  
*Sighs happily* Well, that's it. ( If you guys noticed, I used some lines from the first chapter, you know, just to bring everything to a full circle.) Thanks to all my readers, I actually got through my first Kare Kano fic! Thanks so much you guys, you mean a whole lot to me! Thanks for all the reviews, and by all means—continue!  
  
All of you are truly awesome, but I want to thank my friend Natachan, for allowing me to create a Fanfiction.net account with her, and for the editing and thoughts and helping me through my writing when it became, really hard! Thanks, Natachan! I appreciate it!  
  
And I hope all my readers will follow me through my next fanfics! Watch for my name—and maybe a sequel to this one?????  
  
BYE FOR NOW! ~kawaiirabbit 


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